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
Conservatives Declare War On “Sexualizing Children” At Rally In Cody
Spearheaded by Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, a group of conservative activists vowed to fight sexually-graphic materials in school libraries, both at the Capitol and their home communities.
Clair McFarlandOctober 18, 2022
PayPal Backtracks On Misinformation Policy; Wyoming Treasurer & Auditor Say They Don’t Use It Anyway
As PayPal backtracks on its policy that it would pull $2,500 from users' accounts for spreading 'misinformation,' Wyomings Treasurer and Auditor say they dont use the service anyway.
Clair McFarlandOctober 18, 2022
University of Wyoming Sorority Accepts First Transgender Member
Artemis Langford of Lander said being the University of Wyoming's first Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority transgender member feels like trailblazing.
Clair McFarlandOctober 17, 2022
Reservation House District Candidates Spar Over Fed Control Of Tribal Land, Abortion, Education
Incumbent Democratic House Rep. Andi LeBeau debated Republican challenger Sarah Penn on issues unique to the Wind River Indian Reservation, such as the federal governments control of the land, littered garbage heaps and a two-year mask mandate.
Clair McFarlandOctober 17, 2022
Riverton Woman Accused of Smuggling Fentanyl Into Jail Via Rectum, Then Sharing With Inmates
A female inmate in Riverton is facing 23 years in jail after allegedly smuggling fentanyl in her rectum and then sharing the pills with others in her jail pod.
Clair McFarlandOctober 14, 2022
Furor Over Sexually Explicit Books Misguided, Says LGBTQ Advocate And State House Candidate
Sara Burlingame, a top LGBTQ advocate for Wyoming, says Cowboy State Daily coverage of a pair of controversial books in a Casper school library has been unfair, and society should exercise more care towards transgender-affirming literature.
Clair McFarlandOctober 14, 2022
Appeal Denied For Wyoming Man Who Killed Girlfriend, Burned Down His Own Tattoo Parlor
A Torrington man who set his own tattoo parlor on fire and beat his girlfriend to death last year does not get to change his plea to not guilty nearly a year after he was sentenced to prison. He claims he didn't understand his plea.
Clair McFarlandOctober 13, 2022
Double Arrest At Casper High School After 2nd Guns Report In A Week
Natrona County High School went into lockout mode Thursday morning after a report of guns at the school; two students were in police custody.
Clair McFarlandOctober 13, 2022
Wyoming Supreme Court Rules Prison Term Stands For Man Who Shot Lover’s Husband
A man who shot his lovers husband in the chest in Cheyenne five years ago after leaving his wife and kids behind in Nebraska may not have his prison sentence shortened, the Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled.
Clair McFarlandOctober 13, 2022
Legislators Want $70M Annual Boost For Wyoming Education
Wyoming legislators are requesting a $70 million annual increase to Wyomings public school funding to adjust for inflation, after hearing that teachers may be harder to keep and attract to the state.
Clair McFarlandOctober 12, 2022
Casper School Board Asks For Police To Intervene After Teacher Gets Called ‘Pedophile’ In Book Debate
A contentious crowd at the Natrona County School Board meeting traded barbs, with one community member calling a substitute teacher a pedophile and others calling concerned parents book-banners.
Clair McFarlandOctober 12, 2022
Wyoming Public Educators Demand Respect, Less Scrutiny From Legislature
The Wyoming Education Association lambasted legislators on Monday for mandated curriculum changes, proposed budget cuts, the creation of new charter schools, and increased scrutiny of educators.
Clair McFarlandOctober 11, 2022
Casper Police Chief Sued For Not Firing Detective Who Bragged About Penis, Harassed Co-Workers
The police chief of Casper is being sued by two detectives for not firing another detective who allegedly bragged about size of his penis, sexually harassed his co-workers, and retaliated against female colleagues.
Clair McFarlandOctober 10, 2022
Wyoming Littles: The World Is Full Of Terrible Food
First graders at Southside Elementary School in Powell, Wyoming have discerning palates, weighing in on their least favorite things to eat.
Clair McFarlandOctober 07, 2022
Wyoming Bill Would Criminalize Gender-Related Treatments For Children; LGBTQ Ally Says It’s Overreach
A Wyoming lawmaker says gender-related medical procedures on minors is child abuse and wants the Legislature to act. But an LGBTQ advocate says that would be government overreach.
Clair McFarlandOctober 07, 2022
Clair McFarland: Choosing Between My Husband And A Python
Clair McFarland writes: "The python fixed his stormy eyes on me and raised his head, revealing an adorable spear-shaped overbite, fine ruby pits on his upper jaw, a pale soft underside pining for human contact. He slithered up my arm, over my shoulder. He burrowed in my hair. The salesman laughed. 'Now that is a happy snake,' he said."
Clair McFarlandOctober 07, 2022
Dems Will Stay Major Party If They Keep Crossing Back, Vote In General
If every Wyoming voter now registered as a Democrat votes in the upcoming general election, the party will keep its major-party recognition in the state.
Clair McFarlandOctober 06, 2022
Legislator’s Plan Would Slash Wyoming’s Tax Rate But Broaden Base To Include Groceries & Services
Cheyenne Rep. Landon Brown says lowering sales and use tax from 4% to 2.5%, but apply the tax to more services, would generate similar income for the state while reducing reliance on revenues from energy sector.
Clair McFarlandOctober 06, 2022
California’s Sanctuary Rule For Child Sex Changes Doesn’t Impact Wyoming Because Wyoming Has No Laws Against It
California has enacted a sanctuary law for out-of-state minors seeking transgender medical care and procedures, but it may not interfere with Wyomings laws because Wyoming has no law against transgender medical procedures for minors.
Clair McFarlandOctober 05, 2022
Books In Wyoming School Library ‘Groom’ Children, Says Sex Crimes Investigator
Graphic scenes in childrens books, like two in the library of a Wyoming high school, make minors more vulnerable to sex crimes, says a longtime investigator who now runs a nonprofit organization aimed at preventing and combating child sexual abuse.
Clair McFarlandOctober 05, 2022
Legislators Disagree How To Address ‘Pornography’ In Schools If School Boards Won’t
Wyoming lawmakers disagree over how to handle books in Casper high school libraries like "Gender Queer" and "Trans Bodies, Trans Selves" which show graphic sex scenes, instruct readers how to make and access porn, and how to hire sex workers.
Clair McFarlandOctober 04, 2022