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

Jackson Man Accused Of Brutally Beating Man Who Refused Sexual Advances
A Jackson man could face up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted of brutally beating another man who refused his sexual advances after a night of drinking and hanging out.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 23, 2024

Sheridan Rancher Passes On The Wyoming Way One Subscriber At A Time
Peter Burgess, a fourth-generation rancher near Sheridan, showcases Wyoming values and the toil and fun of working a cattle ranch, one subscriber at a time through his YouTube channel "The Wyoming Way."
Clair McFarlandJanuary 20, 2024

Albany County Paid $1.2 Million To Family Of Man Killed By Deputy
Albany County paid $1.2 million to the family of Robbie Ramirez, who was shot in the back and killed by a deputy in 2018, according to a lawsuit settlement released publicly on Friday.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 20, 2024

Official Wyoming Record-Keeper Warns Of Shady Online Sites Hoarding Personal Data
The keeper of Wyoming’s birth certificates is warning people to steer clear of websites that act like a middleman for people seeking vital records, then lift personal information along the way.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 19, 2024

Laramie Attorney Appeals To Wyoming Supreme Court To Keep Trump Off Ballot
The Laramie attorney who unsuccessfully sued to remove former President Donald Trump from Wyoming’s election ballots isn't giving up. On Wednesday, he appealed his court loss to the state Supreme Court.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 18, 2024

Judge Orders Sanity Test For Sheridan Man Accused Of Killing Mother
A Sheridan judge has ordered a local man be evaluated to determine if he’s mentally fit to face prosecution for allegedly bludgeoning his mother to death.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 18, 2024

Feds In Wyoming To Deport Illegal Aliens Who Keep Reentering U.S.
A Honduran national was arrested on suspicion of drugged driving, a Mexican national on suspicion of drunk driving. They're both being deported for reentering the United States illegally after past deportations.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 18, 2024

PETA Calls Torrington, Wyoming Slaughterhouse A ‘Hellhole For Animals’
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Wednesday accused a Torrington slaughterhouse of inhumane animal treatment, but the business owner said the accusations come as a complete surprise to him.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 18, 2024

Supreme Court To Decide If Federal Agencies Should Have Less Power Over Citizens
A U.S. Supreme Court Case argued Wednesday could determine if federal agencies should have less power over people. Harriet Hageman says yes, and that the court’s decision could have a huge impact for Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 18, 2024

Thermopolis Man Accused Of Molesting Boy From Ages 4 To 14
Accused of raping a boy for a decade between the ages 4 and 14, a Thermopolis man faces a centuries-long prison sentence. Douglas L. Nelson is charged with four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 17, 2024

With Homeless Shelter At Capacity, Cheyenne Church Opened Doors During Severe Cold Snap
When temperatures plunged well below zero last weekend and the COMEA Shelter was overflowing, a Cheyenne church opened its doors to more than 30 homeless people, some of them with ashen frostbite already bubbling on their hands.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 17, 2024

Cell Tower Data Leads To Arrest Of Couple In Killing Of Cheyenne Transient
Cell tower data led to the arrest of a Cheyenne couple in the killing of a transient last fall. The man said he only “roughed him up,” but the ER doctor said it was “one of the worst brain bleeds” he’d ever seen.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 17, 2024

Supreme Court Won't Say If Trans Kids Can Use Whatever Bathroom They Want
With the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday not to hear a case on whether transgender students have a right to use whatever bathroom they want, Wyoming legislation like the What Is A Woman Act, or a local school-board policy, could tip the Cowboy State into the mix.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 16, 2024

Murdered Sheridan Woman Was Found Under Gasoline-Soaked Blankets
The Sheridan woman discovered dead in her home Jan. 7 was found under a pile of gasoline-soaked blankets, according to court documents. Her 22-year-old son argued with her loudly the day before and has been charged with second-degree murder.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 16, 2024

Worker Too Late To Sue Over Attempted Mental Hold, Wyoming Hospital Says
A former employee of Weston County Health Services missed her window to sue the organization for allegedly trying to have her involuntarily committed because she was too late giving notice of her lawsuit.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 16, 2024

Wyoming Temps Are Cold Enough To Freeze Bulls' Balls Off, Rancher Warns
A Sheridan rancher warned that temperatures in Wyoming are so cold that ranchers should lay out straw for their bulls to lie on so the bulls don't freeze their testicles and lose their stud potential.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 15, 2024

Actor Pierce Brosnan Pleads Not Guilty To Illegal Hiking On Yellowstone Thermal
Pierce Brosnan, the film actor famous for playing James Bond, has pleaded not guilty to illegal hiking in Yellowstone. Many tourists have died by falling in to the boiling thermals when they have gone off-trail.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 15, 2024

Supreme Court Could Force Jackson To Rethink $31,000 In Gov't Fees For Home Building
Someone who wants to build a 4,000-square-foot home in Jackson has to pay local government $31,000 for the privilege. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case that could make it easier to sue the town over those fees.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 13, 2024

Clair McFarland: These Extra Books Are In Case Of Invasion
Clair McFarland writes: "Every town should have a used bookstore, even if it’s just a few shelves in an old chicken coop with an honor-pay tin can wedged between the wind-eaten volumes."
Clair McFarlandJanuary 12, 2024

Bairoil Shooter With Dementia To Face Trial, Can't 'Play The Crazy Card'
A Wyoming woman mending from two bullet wounds said she's glad the accused shooter, her husband's uncle, can't “play the crazy card,” after a judge ruled Wednesday the uncle is mentally competent to face trail.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 12, 2024

Teacher, Parents Give Conflicting Accounts On Sex Pictures In Wright Art Class
The tiny town of Wright, Wyoming, exploded in controversy this week over a dispute about whether a fourth-grade art teacher enabled students to view images of male-on-male sex acts.
Clair McFarlandJanuary 12, 2024
