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.
Latest from Clair McFarland
Feds Paid Wyoming Farmers $5.5 Million Not To Farm In 2022
The federal Conservation Reserve Program doled out $5.5 million to Wyoming farmers last year in exchange for not farming certain plots of land, a $2 million increase from 2021.
Clair McFarlandMay 25, 2023
U.S. House Votes To Kill Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
Two Democrats joined every Republican in the U.S. House on Wednesday to shut down President Biden's trillion-dollar student loan forgiveness plan, but the resolution now faces the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Clair McFarlandMay 25, 2023
Wyoming's Top Dem Blasts Degenfelder's Plan To Purge Critical Race Theory
Senate Minority Floor Leader Chris Rothfuss says he is speaking for all Wyoming Democrats in telling State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder that getting rid of critical race theory is partisan political maneuver.
Clair McFarlandMay 25, 2023
Unlike South, Wyoming’s Target Stores Keep LGBTQ ‘Pride Collection’ Display For Kids & Adults Up Front
Although some Target stores in the South have moved their LGBTQ “Pride Collection” merchandise for children and adults to the back of its stores, in Casper and Cheyenne, the merchandise is still in front.
Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2023
As Wyoming's Top Educator, Degenfelder Wants More Transparency With Parents
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder says schools must be transparent and respect the rights of parents to raise their children to rebuild trust between parents and schools.
Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2023
Rock Springs Parents Say Secret Phone Proves School District Is Still Socially Transitioning Their Child
In a heated volley of federal court filings, Ashley and Sean Willey say they've found their high school daughter's secret cellphone, which shows three Sweetwater County School District No. 1 teachers are still calling the girl by a boy's name and pronouns against their wishes.
Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2023
Fremont County Man Allegedly Strangles Fiancée For Serving Leftovers Instead Of Steak
A Fremont County, Wyoming, man grew "frustrated" when his fiancée warmed up leftovers instead of letting him cook elk steak, then allegedly strangled and smashed her into a wall, court documents claim.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2023
Gillette Landlord, Tenant Dead In Murder-Suicide
Authorities believe Patrick M. Mahoney shot Steven E. Hague in the shoulder, then shot himself in the head, before authorities found them both dead Friday at a burning camper north of Gillette.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2023
Sublette County Sheriff Says He Had Authority To Search Rex Rammell's Horses
Sublette County Sheriff K.C. Lehr is pushing back against failed gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell, who wants $12 million for claims that they had no right to search his horses and hit him with criminal charges.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2023
Bounty Hunter Films Cheyenne Man Turning Himself In After SWAT Team Couldn't Find Him
Joey Carabajal Jr., 18, told Cheyenne police he believes the bullet that killed his 15-year-old cousin was meant for him days before a SWAT team failed to find him.
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2023
Family Of Woman Found Dead In Car In Yellowstone Say She Was ‘Just A Country Girl’ With A Fiery Temper
The mother and brother of Catheryn Griffin, who was found dead in a car that lodged in a snowbank in Yellowstone on Saturday, say they’ll remember her as “just a country girl” who sometimes had a fiery temper.
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2023
Clair McFarland: The Socially Challenged Foster Kid Hurls Fish Guts
Clair McFarland writes: “We marched upstairs together and I stuffed him into his litter box – like a Twinkie through a keyhole. Little did I know, if you hunt someone down and make him go potty, he’ll fall madly in love with you.”
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2023
Teen Charged With First-Degree Murder In Drive-By That Killed Cheyenne Teen Bumped To Felony Court
Johnny Muñoz, 17, has been charged as an adult for allegedly killing a 15-year-old Cheyenne girl in a drive-by shooting. After a Thursday preliminary hearing, his case has been escalated to felony court.
Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2023
Sister Of Missing Man Whose Skull Was Found In Remote Wyoming 'Relieved And Saddened'
Dani Combs told Cowboy State Daily she's "relieved and saddened" now that the remains of her brother missing since 2015 have been found in remote Washakie County ranchlands.
Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2023
Woman Found Dead In Car Stuck In Yellowstone Snowbank ID’d As 38-Year-Old From Florida
Catheryn Danyelle Griffin, 38, of Florida was the woman found dead in a vehicle lodged in a snowbank Saturday evening. A man who may have been Griffin's traveling companion has been released on bond after federal authorities charged him with drug possession and traffic violations.
Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2023
Meeteetse Man Says He Drove 143 MPH Into Powell And Crashed Because His Car Was Rigged With Bombs
Cameron Boni of Meeteetse didn't show clues of being drunk or high after he allegedly drove into Powell at 143 mph and crashed into four cars, but he said people were following him and had rigged his car with bombs.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2023
Two Killed In Albany County Plane Crash Were From Oregon
The Albany County Sheriff's Office has identified Oregon residents Lawrence Allen Crosby as the male pilot and Frances Li as the passenger in a Sunday plane crash that killed them both.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2023
Wrong-Way Driver Accused Of Killing Five On Wyoming Highway Has Case Paused To Get Mental Evaluation
Arthur Nelson of Tennessee is accused of driving the wrong way and causing a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 80 that killed five young people in January. His lawyer asked to pause his prosecution to evaluate if he's mentally competent to understand it.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2023
Man Found Dead On Riverton Riverbank Drowned While On Meth, Coroner Finds
Bud G. Perry, who was found dead on a riverbank south of Riverton by a pedestrian last month, died of drowning while under the influence of methamphetamine, his docket report says.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2023
UW Sorority Members Suing Over Transgender Member Turn To National Media To Say They're Fighting For Women's Rights
The University of Wyoming women suing their sorority for its role in admitting a transgender member are speaking out in national media, saying they want to fight for women’s rights and women’s spaces.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2023
Rock Springs School District Says It's Just Following Law, Not Gender Transitioning Student
Sweetwater County School District No. 1 asked a federal court not to block its rules requiring teachers to call students by their transgender names and pronouns, saying the district will lose federal money if it stops, and the practice is akin to calling kids by their nicknames.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2023