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
Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Deep Cuts To Department Of Education
A Massachusetts-based federal judge on Thursday blocked the president’s 2-month-old executive order slashing the U.S. Department of Education in half. The ruling also reinstates terminated department employees.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2025
Walmart Asks Wyoming Lawmakers For Help With Organized Theft
Walmart asked Wyoming’s lawmakers to strengthen laws to curb organized retail theft - which is generally an orchestrated scheme in which co-conspirators conduct targeted, repeating thefts as a business. Company officials said they are seeing a rise in sophisticated and organized theft rings.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2025
Judge Removes Psychologist From Case Of Sheridan Man Accused In Mother's Death
A psychologist in the case of a Sheridan man accused of murdering his mother, voiced concerns that Israel Melvin was not fit to stand trial. A judge in the case dismissed the evaluator, saying he did not conduct the right test - which was whether the man was insane when his mother died.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2025
Joe Barbuto, Chairman Of Wyoming Democratic Party, Steps Down After Eight Years
Joe Barbuto, the longtime chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down after eight years to join a national organization that supports state Democratic parties. No replacement has been made.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2025
Trump Admin Green Lights Pulling Non-English-Speaking Truckers From Roads
President Trump gave transportation chief Sean Duffy 60 days to rescind 2016 guidance that kept non-English speaking truck drivers from being removed from the roads. Duffy rescinded that order Tuesday, 38 days ahead of schedule. U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman was a frontrunner on the issue.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2025
Committee Drafts Bill Against Sexually Explicit Books In Public Libraries
A legislative committee agreed Tuesday to draft a bill targeting explicit materials in public and school libraries, specifically children’s sections. That came after intense debate and a review of a young-adult book containing a cartoon sex scene.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2025
Tearful Testimony Pushes Committee To Draft Tougher Wyoming Stalking Laws
Some members of a Wyoming legislative committee were moved to tears Tuesday as a Glenrock teen girl described the year of torment she and a friend endured from a 41-year-old stalker. Lawmakers agreed to draft tougher laws for stalking and grooming.
Clair McFarlandMay 20, 2025
Committee Adopts Bill To Make Wyoming Senate Confirm Supreme Court Justices
A legislative committee on Monday voted 8-6 to draft a proposed state Constitution amendment that would make Wyoming Supreme Court Justice candidates stand for state Senate confirmation after the governor nominates them.
Clair McFarlandMay 20, 2025
State Mandate To Investigate Land Sales Around Critical Sites Will Take Money
A law mandating Wyoming investigate land sales around critical infrastructure takes effect July 1. But investigating those sales and whether foreign adversaries are driving them will take money, the Office of Homeland Security told lawmakers Monday.
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2025
Drug Dealer Wants His Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Conviction Overturned
A Greybull man convicted of manslaughter for dealing the fentanyl pills that led to another man’s fatal 2023 overdose now says he got bad advice. He wants his 15- to 20-year prison sentence overturned and another chance at trial or a new plea deal.
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2025
‘Unknown Male’ Steals Ambulance From Riverton Hospital, Escapes On Reservation
An "unknown male" stole an ambulance parked in front of a Riverton emergency room early Sunday. He fled onto the reservation, hitting a couple law enforcement vehicles, then escaped on foot.
Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2025
Fort Laramie Police Chief Charged With Lying On Car Title
The police chief of Fort Laramie is facing criminal charges for allegedly lying to get a vehicle title. His case started with a stop by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper while driving a car with the wrong license plate.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025
Lawsuit Claims Wyoming Billionaire, 89, Propositioned Employees For Orgies
Hansjörg Wyss, an 89-year-old Teton County billionaire is being sued in a California court. He’s accused of repeatedly propositioning a woman and her husband who worked for his company to have orgies with him.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025
ICE Arrests Wanted Illegal Mexican National In Casper Operation
ICE officers met with other federal agents just before 4 a.m. Thursday in Casper to plan the arrest of a wanted illegal Mexican National. In what the agency calls the first Wyoming ICE ride-along it knows of, Cowboy State Daily documented the operation.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025
Bridget Hill Will Conflict Out Of About Half Of Wyoming Supreme Court Cases
It will be six to nine months before the Wyoming Supreme Court’s newest justice can participate fully. That’s because Bridget Hill, who will soon be sworn in as a justice, has represented the state on at least half the appeals the high court is hearing.
Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2025
Mom Accused Of Giving Guns To Sheridan Cop-Killer Gets Plea Agreement
The mother of a man who killed a Sheridan police sergeant in February 2024, has a plea agreement with prosecutors over allegations she gave her son guns. The public can't see her plea since the federal authorities for Wyoming keeps those private.
Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2025
Evanston Couple Get 6 Months For Child Abuse In Death Of Baby Found In Filth
An Evanston couple got six months in jail Tuesday for child abuse after the death of their 9-month-old. The sentence comes after a prosecutor conceded there wasn’t enough evidence that their filthy home or neglect associated with it killed the baby.
Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2025
Studying Obscenity Laws And Sex Books In Libraries No. 1 Priority For Committee
The No. 1 priority for the Wyoming Legislature’s interim Judiciary Committee is to consider tying sex books in libraries to state obscenity laws. The debate continues years of controversy over sexually graphic books available to kids in libraries.
Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2025
Remains Found By Construction Workers In Cheyenne Field 7 Months Ago Identified
The remains of a man found by construction workers in a field just south of Cheyenne last October have been identified as Roy Arthur Moates of Laramie County. The discovery of his human remains prompted a two-day, 50-person search of the field.
Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2025
Wright Woman Accused Of Torturing Man For Three Days Pleads Insanity
A Wright woman accused of taping a man to a chair and torturing him for three days has entered an insanity plea. She claims in a court filing last week that she had “extreme paranoia” at the time.
Clair McFarlandMay 12, 2025
Legislators Eye Tougher Fines For Officials Who Won't Give Up Public Records
Wyoming lawmakers decided Friday to consider assessing harsher penalties for public officials who don’t produce public documents upon request.
Clair McFarlandMay 12, 2025