Crime and Courts Reporter

Clair McFarland

Clair McFarland 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.

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 Valentine's Day, 2022.

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Latest from Clair McFarland

State Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, supports spending $15 million to relocate the national headquarters for the PRCA to Wyoming.

$15M For PRCA Headquarters To Move To Cheyenne Clears Senate, Faces Tough House

A bill approving $15 million to attract the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to Cheyenne cleared the senate by a 24-7 vote Friday. Although it faces a tough go in the House, Sen. Ogden Driskill calls it a "once in a lifetime opportunity."

Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2026

Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz (right). Inset photo: Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock

Wyoming Attorney General Files Case To Remove Weston County Clerk From Office

Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz on Friday petitioned to remove Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock from office, over multiple errors surrounding the 2024 general election. She also faces a criminal case for defying a legislative subpoena.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2026

Wyoming Senate Advances Bill To Bar Sex Offenders From Living Near Daycares

The Wyoming Senate on Friday advanced a bill banning registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of daycares. Calling the bill "common sense," Sen. Tim Salazar said. “I do not want to wait for a tragic incident to happen. This helps prevent that.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2026

Bill To Block Government From Collecting Union Dues Squeaks Onto Wyoming House Floor

A bill to restrict government agencies from collecting union dues and to require unions of public employees to report where their money is going remained alive Friday after squeaking onto the House floor. The Wyoming Education Association opposes it.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2026

Debate On Abortion Law Gets Emotional On Wyoming House Floor

As Wyoming legislators debated a “heartbeat act” abortion bill, Rep. Kevin Campbell grew emotional Thursday remembering a 14-year-old girl — his mother. “I was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1969,” he said tearfully. "I was adopted that same year.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2026

The possibility of the death penalty is off the table for both Big Piney teens accused of ambushing and murdering their friend with a bow and arrow. Rowan Littauer, pictured, pleaded not guilty Monday, as did his alleged accomplice Orion Schlesinger on March 20.

Big Piney Man Gets 75 Years To Life For Killing Autistic Victim With Bow And Arrow

A Big Piney man was sentenced Thursday to between 75 years and life in prison for the bow-and-arrow killing of a 23-year-old autistic man. “I want him back,” the victim's mother wept. “I have a blanket with his photo on it, just so I can hug him.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2026

Wyoming House Rejects Adding Extraterrestrials, Animals, To Sex Books Ban

The Wyoming House on Thursday rejected an amendment that would have added sex acts involving extraterrestrials and animals to its proposed ban on sexually-explicit books in public and school library kids' sections.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2026

Wyoming House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett.

House Speaker, Reps Tell How They Got Checks, Shock Over Controversy

The Wyoming House had a raw exchange Wednesday night about the check-passing controversy that burst into a criminal bribery investigation. “Not one time did it cross my mind that I did anything wrong,” House Speaker Neiman said, noting he had received a check.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2026

Carbon County GOP Vice Chair Joey Correnti.

Carbon County GOP Calls For Reps To Resign Over Silence On ‘CheckGate’

The Carbon County GOP is calling for resignations of four state reps for their silence on the ongoing “CheckGate” scandal. The party says they knew defamation claims aimed at Rep. Mike Yin for making the check-passing public were wrong, but didn’t speak out.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2026

House, Senate Brace For Showdown Over $40 Million Cut to University Of Wyoming

The Wyoming House on Wednesday voted to keep a proposed $40 million cut to the University of Wyoming. The Senate did the opposite - setting the two chambers up for a clash in a compromise committee later this month.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 18, 2026

In response to what's become known as "CheckGate," Gov. Mark Gordon on Tuesday banned campaign contributions on state property. So did the Senate in areas it controls. Meanwhile, the state's top election official, Chuck Gray, remains silent on the controversy.

Gordon Bans Campaign Donations On State Property, Chuck Gray Silent

Gov. Mark Gordon on Tuesday banned campaign contributions on state property. So did the Senate, in areas it controls, in response to the "CheckGate" controversy. Meanwhile, the state's top election official, Chuck Gray, remains silent on the controversy.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2026

"Ain't Nobody Stabbing Nobody": Wyoming House, Senate Battle Tuesday Over Budget

The Wyoming Senate voted Tuesday to restore the governor's $11 billion budget, but the House voted against it. Things got heated when Rep. Mike Yin said budget-planners stabbed agencies they disliked. "Ain't nobody stabbing nobody," House Speaker Chip Neiman said.

Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 17, 2026

Other Authors

CheckGate Committee Votes To Pause Investigation Because Of Sheriff's Involvement

The chair of the Wyoming legislative committee investigating the check-passing controversy that unfolded last week told his colleagues Tuesday the committee wants to pause its work – because the local sheriff's office has undertaken its own investigation.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2026

Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell testifies Monday for the Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee.

Senate Committee Advances Bill To 'Freeze,' Rebuild Wyoming Business Council

The state Senate advanced a bill Monday that would rescue the Wyoming Business Council by rebuilding the controversial agency. It also would freeze its work while lawmakers and others reevaluate the council.

Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 17, 2026

Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, successfully advanced multiple amendments Monday to the “recalibration” bill, most of them compromises in response to months of educators' complaints - and one of them a guardrail to thwart a bidding war between districts that could soon have millions of dollars to attract new teachers.

Wyoming Senator Offers $126 Million Compromise To Embattled School Funding Bill

Sen. Chris Rothfuss on Monday offered a $126 million increase to Wyoming's $3.6 billion, two-year grant to its public schools. That's a compromise that followed months of educator outcry and debate between lawmakers. Soon the full Senate may consider his amendment.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 16, 2026

Teton County GOP Condemns Check Passing On House Floor By Its Own Committeewoman

The Teton County Republican Party on Saturday condemned the actions of its committeewoman, Rebecca Bextel, for handing out checks on the House floor. The Wyoming Republican Party distanced itself too, saying she was not representing the party.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 16, 2026

Sheriff Investigating Check Passing Scandal In Wyoming Legislature

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday that his agency is investigating the Monday incident in which a Teton County GOP leader handed checks to lawmakers on the state House floor after adjournment — after multiple citizens voiced bribery concerns.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 15, 2026

Bill To Purge Sexually-Explicit Library Books From Children's Section Heads To House

A bill seeking to remove sexually-explicit materials from children’s sections of public and school libraries is headed to the Wyoming House of Representatives, after the House Judiciary Committee advanced it Friday on a 6-1 approval vote.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026

“The appearance of vote-buying on the House floor or the Senate floor is absolutely unconscionable, and we cannot allow that to happen,” Senate President Bo Biteman said.

Wyoming Senate Formally Condemns GOP Activist For Passing Out Checks On House Floor

All 31 Wyoming senators Friday condemned a GOP activist for handing out campaign checks on the floor of the House. “The appearance of vote-buying on the House floor or the Senate floor is absolutely unconscionable," Sen. President Bo Biteman said.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026

Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton, (left) who co-chairs the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration, voiced surprise Friday that some House committee members who had joined the committee’s unanimous and bipartisan vote to advance the bill helped to kill it Monday.

Senate Rescues Wyoming's Attempt To Rework Public School Funding

Under pressure to pay the schools in a way that satisfies Wyoming's courts, the state Senate on Friday rescued a bill attempting to do just that - moments after the House rejected its own school funding bill a second time.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026

In the House, Joint Appropriations Committee Co-Chairman John Bear, R-Gillette, walked members through the budget before landing on the hot-button issue: a $40 million general fund reduction

In Full Debate On University of Wyoming Budget Cuts, Lawmakers Ask If It's Retaliation

The Wyoming House and Senate debated a $40 million cut to the University of Wyoming on Thursday, with the budget committee co-chair John Bear confirming the number was meant to "get their attention." He said legislative directives on DEI were ignored.

Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 13, 2026