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
Air Force Base Shooter Pointed Gun At Airman's Chest In 'Joking Manner’
A Wyoming-based U.S. Air Force member was killed when a fellow airman at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base pointed a Sig Sauer M18 pistol at his chest in a joking manner while his finger was on the trigger, the 90th Missile Wing reported Friday.
Clair McFarlandOctober 31, 2025
State Asks Court To Give Legislators A Breather While They Tweak School Funding
The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office is urging the state Supreme Court to give legislators more time to tweak school funding before being forced by a court order. That includes a computer for every kid and elementary mental health counselors.
Clair McFarlandOctober 31, 2025
Casper Burglar Who Broke Into Wrong House To Stay In Prison
One of the two men who broke into a Casper home two years ago — not expecting to encounter a scrappy sheriff’s deputy the deputy’s pregnant, pistol-packing wife — has to keep serving his 22-to-25-year prison term, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandOctober 31, 2025
Wyoming Investment Earnings Blow Past Projections By Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars
The Consensus Revenue Revenue Estimating Group (CREG) report given to legislators Thursday shows that the state's investments outpaced projections by hundreds of millions of dollars. Record-high investment earnings of $1.86 billion “dominated” the 2025 fiscal year.
Clair McFarlandOctober 30, 2025
Ousted Library Board Member Files Case Against Fremont County Commission
David Mossburg, ousted from the local library board last week by a surprise Fremont County Commission re-vote, petitioned a court Wednesday to reinstate him. A local newspaper has claimed the secret ballot vote that led to his appointment is illegal.
Clair McFarlandOctober 30, 2025
Jury Chooses Lighter Penalty For CNA Who Let Dementia Patient Freeze
A jury found a former Gillette assisted living center CNA who lost track of a dementia patient, who then got outside and froze to death, guilty of misdemeanor negligent homicide. But the jury acquitted him of the manslaughter felony he originally faced.
Clair McFarlandOctober 29, 2025
Pine Bluffs Crop Duster's Shooting Death Ruled Self-Defense
An investigation into the June shooting death of a Pine Bluffs crop duster and former university-level rodeo athlete that left friends puzzled for months is now closed. The shooting was self-defense, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.
Clair McFarlandOctober 29, 2025
3 Life Sentences For Gillette Teen Not ‘Cruel And Unusual,’ Supreme Court Says
A Gillette man who got three life terms at age 19 for his involvement in killing two people won’t get resentenced. The Wyoming Supreme Court wasn’t swayed by science Christopher Hicks claimed shows that sentence for someone so young is “cruel and unusual."
Clair McFarlandOctober 29, 2025
SNAP Fallout Has Wyoming Dem, Freedom Caucus Saying The Same Bible Verse
On the national scale, the federal government’s suspension of SNAP benefits has blue states suing the Trump administration. In Wyoming, the Freedom Caucus and a prominent Democrat have responded by quoting the same Bible verse.
Clair McFarlandOctober 28, 2025
Burglar Who Shot Riverton Shop Manager Gets 23-30 Years In Prison
The man who robbed a Riverton oil field shop and shot the manager when confronted got 23-30 years in prison Tuesday. “This is what’s wrong with our community,” said the manager’s wife, who was against a plea agreement dropping an attempted murder charge.
Clair McFarlandOctober 28, 2025
Wyoming GOP 'Probably' Broke Law With Unusual Arbitration, Judge Says
An Evanston-based judge on Monday declined to dismiss a legal challenge by Thermopolis Republicans accusing the Wyoming GOP of waging backroom power plays to cheat people of fair representation. The judge said the state party "probably" broke the law.
Clair McFarlandOctober 28, 2025
Federal Appeals Court Says Wyoming THC Ban Legal, Rules Against Sellers
A group of shops and people who sell marijuana-like substances that were legal in Wyoming until July 2024 failed to show that the state's new ban on those substances violates their rights, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
Clair McFarlandOctober 27, 2025
Kathy Karpan, 'Tough As Nails' Former Wyoming Secretary of State, Dies At 83
Former Wyoming Secretary of State Kathy Karpan died Friday at the age of 83. Longtime friend Rodger McDaniel said Karpan was battling cancer and outlived her doctor's expectations "She was tough as nails," he said.
Clair McFarlandOctober 25, 2025
Ousted Fremont County Library Board Member Says He’s Taking Commission To Court
The Fremont County Commission is caught between a local newspaper and an ousted library board member. The paper says a vote appointing David Mossburg to the library board was illegal, while Mossburg says it's the re-vote that ousted him that broke the law.
Clair McFarlandOctober 25, 2025
Hageman Reintroduces Bill Requiring Country Of Origin Labeling For Beef
In the wake of President Trump signaling support for increasing low-tariff beef imports from Argentina to remedy record beef prices, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman introduced a bill on Friday to require country of origin labeling.
Clair McFarlandOctober 24, 2025
No New Trial For Kemmerer Babysitter Who Beat 5-Year-Old Girl To Death
A Kemmerer babysitter found guilty of first-degree murder for beating a 5-year-old girl to death appealed her conviction to the Wyoming Supreme Court, which ruled Wednesday she won’t get a new trial — though she was in the ER during a key court hearing.
Clair McFarlandOctober 23, 2025
State Criminal Investigation Against Town Of Manderson Closes With No Charges
A state investigation into Manderson’s faulty 2022 audit, which sparked a criminal investigation, ended without charges, authorities announced Tuesday. Town leaders blame the prior administration, and lawmakers demand continuing oversight.
Clair McFarlandOctober 23, 2025
Lawmakers Advance Four Bills That Aim To Catch, Prevent Botched Elections
Four bills seeking to catch and prevent fraud and botched elections in Wyoming are headed into the 2026 legislative session after the Management Audit Committee advanced them all Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandOctober 22, 2025
Thermopolis Residents Want Gordon To Remove 2 Hot Springs County Commissioners
Seven Thermopolis residents have asked Gov. Mark Gordon to remove two Hot Springs County commissioners accused of misconduct over a disputed campground permit. The governor is investigating as tensions over the local Tipi Retreat saga continue.
Clair McFarlandOctober 22, 2025
Legislative Committee Wants Court Order To Make Weston County Clerk Testify
After the Weston County clerk failed to show for a Wyoming legislative committee’s subpoena, the panel chair on Tuesday said he would seek a court order compelling her to testify at a later meeting.
Clair McFarlandOctober 22, 2025
Riverton Man Receives $55K Settlement Over Warrantless Police Entry
A Riverton man settled his lawsuit for $55,000 after claiming police entered his home without a warrant, dragged him out, and jailed him.
Clair McFarlandOctober 21, 2025