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
Rancher Who Claimed Horses Were “Poisoned” Fined For Starving Them
A Shawnee, Wyoming, rancher was fined $500 Tuesday in Douglas Circuit Court after pleading no contest to starving horses he’d earlier claimed were poisoned. But Joe Bright maintains he's innocent and loves his horses like family.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2024
Brief: Police Searching For Serial Flasher Loose In Jackson
A serial flasher is on the loose in Jackson, Wyoming, police say. He’s described as a male on the smaller side, standing 5-foot-5 and about 130 pounds with black hair.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2024
Best Friend Of Yellowstone Hiker Missing A Week Waits At Camp, Desperate For News
Desmond McGroarty, lifelong best friend of missing Yellowstone hiker Austin King, is desperately hoping he’s found alive. He’s at the concessions village where they'd both been working, eager for any news.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2024
Wyoming Supreme Court Opens Door To Sue Cops, Legislators Want To Close It
The Wyoming Supreme Court opened the door for people to sue cops for negligent investigations. But some state legislators want to close it, voting Friday to draft a bill that would undo the high court’s ruling.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 23, 2024
Yellowstone Concession Worker Vanishes After Summiting Park’s Highest Peak
The search is on for Austin King, a 22-year-old concession worker at Yellowstone, who reached the top of the park's highest peak last Tuesday and hasn’t been heard from since. An experienced hiking guide in the area says weather, terrain and bears are all potential hazards.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 23, 2024
'Sovereign Citizen' Gets 7 Years In Prison For Having Guns As A Felon
A Casper, Wyoming, man was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. Saying he’s a sovereign citizen, he told officers during a traffic stop they’d have to kill him before eventually surrendering.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 21, 2024
Wyoming Cop Trainer Blames Break-Ins, Lawsuits On Poor Search And Seizure Training
A Casper police sergeant who teaches other cops search and seizure laws told Wyoming lawmakers Thursday that cops need better training. He said that may prevent problems like a recent cop break-in court settlement and a cop-involved shooting.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 20, 2024
Wyoming Crime Lab Fails Proficiency, Has To Review More Than 400 Past Gun Tests
After failing a firearms proficiency test, the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory is arranging for evidence re-testing in more than 400 cases from the past decade, the Attorney General told lawmakers Thursday.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 20, 2024
Matthew Shepard Killer's Commutation Request Denied
Russell Henderson, one of two men convicted in Matthew Shepard’s 1998 murder, tried and failed to have his sentence commuted this month, the Wyoming Board of Parole confirmed Thursday to Cowboy State Daily.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 20, 2024
Shots Near Torrington School Raise Alert, But It Was Just A Cow Being Put Down
There was a bit of a scare at Torrington High School Thursday afternoon when shots rang out near the school and then a malfunction sounded the fire alarm. Turns out, the shots were from a nearby livestock sale barn where a cow was put down.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2024
Movie Review: “Am I Racist?” Attacks American Groupthink — Plus It's Hilarious
Clair McFarland writes, "Matt Walsh's new movie “Am I Racist?” claims to be a discussion of racism in the United States. In reality it wages an even broader attack on American groupthink, mainstream media’s gullible streak, and Western culture’s newfound love of victim status."
Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2024
Yellowstone Releases Body Camera Footage From July 4 Shootout
Body camera video released Thursday by the National Park Service gives more detail about a July 4 shootout with a Yellowstone concession worker. The worker reportedly threatened a mass shooting, then shot at rangers before being killed.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2024
Laramie Man Arrested On Claims He Breached Capitol Jan. 6, Wrestled Officer
A Laramie man could face years in prison on claims he was one of the first rioters to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In a Wednesday statement, the U.S. Attorney's Office alleges he also wrestled with a Capitol Police officer.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2024
Superior Mayor Wants More Policing, Sheriff Says He Wants Special Treatment
The mayor of Superior, Wyoming — population 180 — complained to the Sweetwater County Commission on Tuesday his town needs more policing. The sheriff says he does handle issues in the town, but the mayor wants special treatment.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 18, 2024
Tourist Burned, Life-Flighted After Walking On Yellowstone Thermal
A 60-year-old tourist from New Hampshire suffered second- and third-degree burns after walking off-trail over a geothermal crust in Yellowstone. The woman was life-flighted to a hospital in Idaho.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 18, 2024
Two Motorcyclists Dead From Crashing Into Same Cheyenne Building Within 3 Weeks
Two motorcyclists have been killed in the past three weeks after crashing into the same building in Cheyenne. In both cases, the police believe speed was a factor.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 18, 2024
Lander Political Sign Thief Targets Republicans And Democrats
An apparent political sign thief in Lander, Wyoming, has gone bipartisan, plucking yard signs for Republicans and Democrats. A pile of signs was recovered by local police, who reported Tuesday only that the issue “has been taken care of.”
Clair McFarlandSeptember 17, 2024
Feds Say Wyoming Farmers, Miners Not Entitled To Relief From New Lease Rule
In a Friday court filing the federal government defends a new rule that allows the BLM to lease federal land for conservation. Wyoming famers and miners are suing over the rule, which they say allows groups to lease public land solely to not develop on it.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 17, 2024
Sheridan Man Accused Of Dousing Couple With Lighter Fluid So They’d Shoot Him
A Sheridan man will face felony charges for allegedly dousing a sleeping couple with lighter fluid. He reportedly told police he did it to prompt them to shoot him.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 17, 2024
Sheridan County Commissioner Gets Maximum Fine, 8 Days In Jail For DUI
Sheridan County Commissioner Christi Haswell has pleaded guilty to drunk driving and will serve eight days in jail as part of a plea agreement. She also got the maximum fine allowed and a year of unsupervised probation.
Clair McFarlandSeptember 16, 2024
Idaho Company's Bungee Jump From Casper Crime Scene Leaves People Shocked, Sad
People in Casper were shocked and saddened over the weekend when they saw an Idaho company holding bungee-jump sessions at the scene of a crime so tragic that one crime writer called it “the loss of innocence for a whole community.”
Clair McFarlandSeptember 16, 2024