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
UW Settles With Evangelist Who Called Out Trans Sorority Member
The University of Wyoming has settled with the Laramie evangelist who sued it for censoring his speech about a transgender sorority member and will pay $35,000 for his legal fees. UW will be blocked permanently from censoring or banning Schmidt over his views on Langford’s sexual identity.
Clair McFarlandOctober 27, 2023
Cheyenne Man Accused Of Trying To Arrange Sex With 7-Year-Old Boy
A Cheyenne, Wyoming man didn’t know he was chatting with an undercover FBI agent when he reportedly sent images of child pornography, tried to arrange a sexual liaison with a 7-year-old boy and said he’d previously done sexual acts with children.
Clair McFarlandOctober 27, 2023
Wyoming Supreme Court Says Inmates Can’t Sue Over Getting Wrong COVID Vaccine
The Wyoming Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against three prison inmates who sued over being given a brand of COVID-19 vaccine they didn’t consent to get.
Clair McFarlandOctober 27, 2023
Someone Shot Cheyenne Family’s Cat 19 Times, Left It To Die
Janice Lee of Cheyenne hopes the community exposes whoever “tortured” her cat, shooting it 19 times with a pellet gun and leaving it to cry and bleed, so that person can get mental help.
Clair McFarlandOctober 27, 2023
Degenfelder Says Oregon Removing Education Standards A ‘Road To Failure’
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder says Oregon is going down a “road to failure” by not requiring students demonstrate mastery of reading, writing and math to graduate from high school.
Clair McFarlandOctober 26, 2023
Wyoming Schools Could Get $68 Million Boost To Deal With Inflation
Wyoming's Joint Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a $68 million annual payout for elementary and secondary schools to adjust for inflation. If approved, this would add to the $1.6 billion the schools receive yearly.
Clair McFarlandOctober 26, 2023
Riley Gaines Speaks To 600 At UW, Calls Kappa Sorority Members 'Inspiring'
Women’s rights activist Riley Gaines said the six sorority members suing over a transgender member's induction are “inspiring” while talking to 600 people at a University of Wyoming stop on her “Speak Louder” tour Tuesday night in Laramie.
Clair McFarlandOctober 25, 2023
Wyoming Supreme Court Says Former Lawyers Didn’t Cheat Tribe Out Of $5.5 Million
The Wyoming Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a judge and jury were correct in their rulings that the Northern Arapaho Tribe’s former lawyers did not misappropriate $5.5 million in tribal money.
Clair McFarlandOctober 24, 2023
Riverton Woman Among First Charged With Felony Shoplifting Under New Law
A 48-year-old Riverton, Wyoming, woman with nine prior theft convictions is among the first to be charged under a new state law that allows felony prosecution for repeat shoplifters and thieves.
Clair McFarlandOctober 24, 2023
UW Kappa Members Want To Appeal Dismissal, Not File New Case
The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority says six women suing it over the induction of a transgender member should try their case again in the court that dismissed it, but the women say that judge has made up his mind and it's time for an appeal.
Clair McFarlandOctober 24, 2023
Vet Says Riverton Woman Ran 'Amphitheater Of Suffering' For Starving Animals
A Riverton woman was sentenced to probation Monday on eight counts of animal cruelty, but she maintained she didn’t starve two dozen farm animals to death in what a vet called an "amphitheater of suffering."
Clair McFarlandOctober 24, 2023
Bairoil Couple Survived Wild Gun Attack Because God Was ‘Watching Our Backs’
A Bairoil couple recalls the harrowing barrage of bullets their uncle reportedly unleashed on them during an unhinged rant over money. Although they were hit multiple times, they survived because God was "watching our backs."
Clair McFarlandOctober 23, 2023
Casper-Area Man Accused Of Pulling Pistol To Enforce Neighborhood Speed Limit
A 62-year-old Casper-area man is accused of threatening neighbors and others with a pistol on multiple occasions, including brandishing it to enforce a 20 mph speed limit.
Clair McFarlandOctober 23, 2023
Wyoming's First Female Attorney General Takes Gold In World Senior Games
Gay Woodhouse, Wyoming's first female attorney general, won a 5.5-mile biking race last week at the 36th annual Huntsman World Senior Games, the largest annual multi-sport event in the world for athletes ages 50 and older.
Clair McFarlandOctober 22, 2023
Four Wyoming Doctors Tell Court Abortion Is Not Health Care
Arguing that abortion is not health care, four Wyoming doctors are asking Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens to let them file a brief in an ongoing lawsuit on Wyoming’s abortion bans.
Clair McFarlandOctober 21, 2023
DCI: Thermopolis Cop Cleared Of Other Complaints Prior To Killing Suspect
The Thermopolis police sergeant who broke into a man’s home, triggered a shootout and killed the man had been cleared of other professional complaints one week prior, an investigative report says.
Clair McFarlandOctober 20, 2023
Clair McFarland: Classic Children’s Books Help Me Not Bite Anyone’s Head Off
Clair McFarland writes: "The best children’s books proclaim a grand and benevolent order that most grown-ups are too cowardly to believe in."
Clair McFarlandOctober 20, 2023
Lander Man Accused Of Molesting Girls For 4 Decades Gets 40-50 Years In Prison
A 72-year-old Lander man convicted of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl, and accused of molesting two other young girls going back more than four decades, was sentenced Thursday to 40-50 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandOctober 19, 2023
Wyoming Sues EPA For Not Acting On Its Coal Ash Plan
Wyoming sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, asking a federal judge to make the agency act on the state's plan for disposing of coal ash.
Clair McFarlandOctober 19, 2023
Degenfelder To Congress: Parents' Top Concern Is Sexually Graphic Materials In School
Testifying to Congress on Thursday, Wyoming’s education chief Megan Degenfelder said if public schools don't refocus on education instead of controversial sexual themes, parents will lose faith in public education altogether.
Clair McFarlandOctober 19, 2023
Rock Springs Drag Queen Story Hour For Children Sparks Heated Debate
A planned drag queen story hour for children in Rock Springs next week sparked a heated debate at a city council meeting. A cartoon book called “Letter From The Queen” intended for children at a second grade level is scheduled to be read.
Clair McFarlandOctober 19, 2023