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
Musk Backpedaling Comes Year After Wyoming Shut Down Twitter Anti-Censorship Legislation
Long before Musks offer, a handful of Wyoming legislators in 2021 tried to pass a bill allowing civil suits against social media sites on the basis of viewpoint discrimination.
Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2022
Colorado Gov Signs Executive Order Telling Wyoming They Will Not Cooperate With Abortion Investigations
Colorado Gov Jared Polis signed an executive order on Wednesday designed to protect Colorado abortion providers who could be chargeable under other states laws against aiding and abetting abortions.
Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2022
Wyoming Workforce Short On Police, Nurses, Teachers, Truckers, And Everything Else
Despite Wyoming's low unemployment rate (3.2%), there are massive shortages of workers in essential fields all across the state. Some police departments are suffering a shortage of 30%.
Clair McFarlandJuly 07, 2022
Gap Between GOP, Dem Voters In Wyoming Reaches New High
The gap between the number of registered Republicans and Democrats in Wyoming reached a level in July higher than any on record with the secretary of state's office.
Clair McFarlandJuly 06, 2022
Adoption Agencies Say There Are More Than Enough Families Ready & Waiting To Adopt Babies
Wyoming adoption agencies say babies will not go unwanted because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion. They say there is no shortage of families waiting to adopt children.
Clair McFarlandJuly 06, 2022
Montana Planned Parenthood To Stop Selling Abortion Pills To Women From Wyoming
Fearing possible civil and criminal repercussions, Planned Parenthood of Montana on Thursday announced it will stop supplying abortion pills to Wyoming women once the states abortion ban takes effect.
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2022
‘Suspicious’ Package Sent To Liz Cheney Staffer In Riverton Deemed Safe
A suspicious package sent to U.S. Rep. Liz Cheneys staff in Riverton prompted business evacuations and a bomb-dog deployment Thursday afternoon, but the package ultimately was deemed safe.
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2022
Clair McFarland: Of Summer And Sunsets And Battles With Millers
Clair McFarland writes: "The Husband has had enough. He wakes the Shop Vac and darts through the house, sucking the millers into their roaring tomb one by one. 'DIE, YOU SAVAGES.'
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2022
Supreme Court Ruling Expands Ability To Prosecute Non-Natives For Reservation Crimes
Wyoming prosecutors can now charge people who are not American Indians for crimes they commit on a reservation against American Indian victims, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday.
Clair McFarlandJune 30, 2022
Wyo Democratic Legislators Worry About Gay Marriage After Roe vs Wade Ruling
Wyoming Democratic leaders told Cowboy State Daily they are concerned with LGBTQ rights, gay marriage, and the legality of contraceptives as a result of last week's Supreme Court ruling.
Clair McFarlandJune 30, 2022
GOP Legislators Divided Over Possible Same-Sex Marriage Ban But Oppose Condom Ban
Wyoming Republican leaders are divided over concerns voiced by Democratic lawmakers that rights to contraceptive access and gay marriage are threatened by the Roe vs. Wade decision.
Clair McFarlandJune 29, 2022
AOC’s Plan To Put Abortion Clinics On Fed Land In Wyoming Not Very Feasible
A plan put forth by New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) to put abortion clinics on federal lands in conservative states and in national parks like Yellowstone would face a series of hurdles in Wyoming, where roughly half the land is federally held.
Clair McFarlandJune 29, 2022
Albany County Public Library Holds Drag Queen Storytime Over Weekend
Although the Albany County Public Library has been having drag queens read to kids for four years in an event designed to celebrate diversity, some critics believe it is inappropriate and prematurely exposes sexual themes to children.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2022
USDA Repeats Demand For Biden Administration Gender Ideology Policies
In the face of resistance from more than half the states in the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday restated its demand for public schools to adopt policies friendly to new Biden administration created federal gender ideology.
Clair McFarlandJune 24, 2022
Supreme Court Ruling Means Abortion In Wyoming Will Be Illegal Shortly
In 35 days or less, Wyoming is slated to outlaw nearly all abortions. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling Friday overturning Roe vs. Wade, the clock began ticking on Wyomings trigger law approved this year banning most abortions.
Clair McFarlandJune 24, 2022
State, Energy Groups Criticize EPA Policy Blaming Wyoming For Denver Smog
Wyoming and some of its energy industry groups are criticizing as illogical proposed federal rules that blames Wyoming for Denver's smog. At most, Wyoming may contribute 1% of the pollutants.
Clair McFarlandJune 23, 2022
House District 33: Three Republicans Battle For Shot At Seat In Formerly Democratic District
House District 33 is Wyomings only American-Indian district. Up until recently, it was a Democratic district. Whoever wins the primary will take on incumbent Rep. Andi LeBeau.
Clair McFarlandJune 23, 2022
Superintendent Says Wyo Has Cash For Lunches, Can Ignore Fed Gender Mandate, Gov Urges Caution
While Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder says Wyoming has the money and doesn't need to comply with a federal mandate espousing gender ideology, Gov Mark Gordon is urging caution and said the issue should be studied.
Clair McFarlandJune 22, 2022
Bullet-Ridden Brothers In Riverton Still Not Identified; Police Chief Changes Mind On Facebook
Although the Riverton Police Department has not released the names of the two brothers shot in an alley Saturday morning, the chief of police said he changed his mind on posting crime information on the department's Facebook page.
Clair McFarlandJune 21, 2022
Riverton School Officials Defend Decision To Ban Cell Phones From School
Riverton Middle School counselors defended the school's decision to ban students from using mobile phones by saying the long-term effect of childhood smartphone dependence could worsen the very conditions that could lead to school shootings.
Clair McFarlandJune 21, 2022
Riverton Brothers Shot Multiple Times In Alley Friday Night; Life-Flighted To Casper
In an alley behind a Riverton gas station at about 3:30 a.m., one man was shot at least three to four times, while his brother was shot between two and three times, according to the police.
Clair McFarlandJune 18, 2022