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
University of Wyoming Violated Church Elder’s First Amendment Right, Law Experts Say
A pair of First Amendment and free speech experts agree that the University of Wyomings yearlong ban of a church elder for calling out a transgender student by name is likely unconstitutional.
Clair McFarlandDecember 12, 2022
Wyoming Legislators Condemn UW For Booting Church Elder, Say “Open Dialogue” Is Essential
More than two dozen current and incoming legislators wrote a letter to the University of Wyoming condemning them for banning a church elder from presenting at the school. The lawmakers said "open dialogue" is the proper environment for higher education.
Clair McFarlandDecember 12, 2022
Wyoming Governor Reviewing Use of Chinese-Owned TikTok; No Ban Yet
Gov Mark Gordon has asked for a review of the social media platform TikTok. Some other Republican governors have banned their state agencies from using it due to concerns it could be gathering intelligence for China.
Clair McFarlandDecember 09, 2022
Father Of Torrington Cop Charged In Hit-And-Run That Left Woman ‘Broken’
The Goshen County Attorney's Office has filed a felony charge against the father of a Torrington police officer implicated in a hit-and-run that seriously injured a pedestrian six weeks ago.
Clair McFarlandDecember 08, 2022
Wyoming Homeless Man Wanted Kids Back, Then Didn’t Show Up For Court And Lost Parental Rights
The Wyoming Supreme Court has affirmed the state had a right to take children from a homeless Cheyenne man, who planned to fight allegations hes an unfit father, but then failed to show up to court to present his case.
Clair McFarlandDecember 08, 2022
Riverton Man Found Under Cardboard Boxes Died Of Hypothermia, Excess Alcohol
A man found dead under cardboard boxes in downtown Riverton last month died from a case of hypothermia complicating acute and chronic alcohol abuse, the Fremont County Coroner reported Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 08, 2022
Church Elder Who Called Trans Student A Male Booted From UW Hall For A Year
The University of Wyoming is suspending a Laramie church elders ability to reserve table space in its student union for a year after the man on Friday posted a sign that displayed a transgender students name and called that student a male.
Clair McFarlandDecember 08, 2022
Former Patrolman, Legislator Criticizes Highway Patrol For Not Identifying Hit-And-Run Driver
A former trooper and legislator is criticizing the Wyoming Highway Patrol for not releasing the name of a driver involved in a hit-and-run that severely injured a woman six weeks ago. The driver is reportedly an immediate family member of a Torrington police officer.
Clair McFarlandDecember 08, 2022
Lummis Says Twitter Files Show ‘Wrongdoing,’ Could Prompt FBI Probe
In response to the report that Twitter suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story, Sen. Lummis said she supports legislation that would compel social media platforms to publicly report every instance of government entities asking for content moderation.
Clair McFarlandDecember 07, 2022
Casper Police Chief Refutes Claim He Allowed Retaliation By Detective Who Bragged About Penis
Casper Police Department Chief Keith McPheeters told a federal court on Monday that the claim that he allowed a detective to brag about his penis to two female coworkers is unfounded and the case should be thrown out.
Clair McFarlandDecember 06, 2022
Elon Musk’s Release Of Files Show Twitter Suppressed Hunter Biden Laptop Story
Despite the national media giving little coverage to Elon Musk's Friday release of emails and exchanges inside Twitter two years ago, the information does show the company suppressed a news story on Hunter and Joe Biden's Ukranian business involvement.
Clair McFarlandDecember 05, 2022
University Of Wyoming Asks Church Elder To Change Sign Calling LGBTQ Student A Male
A University of Wyoming staffer on Friday asked a Laramie church elder to remove an LGBTQ student's name from a sign proclaiming that, "God created male and female and (redacted) is a male."
Clair McFarlandDecember 05, 2022
Arapaho Tribe Ousts Two-Thirds Of Its Governance; Leaders Sworn In Thursday
The Northern Arapaho Tribe in its Nov. 17 general election replaced four of its six governing Business Council members with non-incumbents. All six leaders were sworn in Thursday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 02, 2022
Pregnant Cop Busts Romanian Man For Stealing $8,000 Bottle Of Scotch In His Crotch
A Romanian man accused of smuggling an $8,000 bottle of scotch in his crotch from a Jackson liquor store was arrested after a pregnant police officer found him soliciting on streets.
Clair McFarlandDecember 02, 2022
Power Company Denies Fault, Says Hurricane-Force 140 mph Winds Led To Deadly Wyoming Fire
A Montana power company operating in Wyoming denied fault in a lawsuit alleging its negligence led to the Clark Fire, which killed a Wyoming woman last November. They said there were 140mph winds that day that could have flung branches onto power lines that caused the fire
Clair McFarlandDecember 02, 2022
Clair McFarland: We Must’ve Been High To Spend Thanksgiving In A Colorado Pot House
Clair McFarland writes: My 1-year-old nephew slid open a desk cupboard with a mesh face, and out tumbled the renters instructional binder, revealing enough weed paraphernalia to make Willie Nelson yodel.
Clair McFarlandDecember 02, 2022
Half-Naked Wyoming Man Convicted Of Shooting Drunk, Stoned Colorado Tourist Gets New Trial
The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that an underwear-clad Albany County man who shot a drunk and stoned Colorado tourist in a Wyoming campground should get a new trial because the lower court did not instruct the jury on the castle doctrine.
Clair McFarlandDecember 01, 2022
Wyoming’s Abortion Trigger Ban Advances To State Supreme Court
A lawsuit challenging Wyomings anti-abortion law is headed to the state Supreme Court and two lawmakers who sought to join the case have been denied.
Clair McFarlandDecember 01, 2022
Court Rules Construction Worker Can’t Sue Concrete Truck Driver Who Ran Him Over
The Wyoming Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a construction worker can't sue a colleague that ran him over with a cement truck. The court said the accident was not on purpose.
Clair McFarlandDecember 01, 2022
Riverton Dad Accused Of Breaking Newborn Twins’ Legs: ‘I Pulled Too Hard And Heard A Little Pop’
Anthony Long, a Riverton man accused of abusing his 3-week-old twin girls, admitted to injuring the infants in jailhouse phone calls. Long admitted that what he did was f***ing evil.
Clair McFarlandDecember 01, 2022
Cheyenne Woman Accused Of Embezzling $255,500 From Cheyenne Little Theatre
Accused of embezzling about $255,500 from the Cheyenne Little Theatre, Carrisa Dunn-Pollard, of Cheyenne, was charged federally last week with five counts of wire fraud.
Clair McFarlandDecember 01, 2022