Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Legislature

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Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>Gov's Office: "This Is Nuts" As Bill To Kill Wyo Biz Council Heads To Legislature | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The governor's policy director told members of the Joint Appropriations Committee on Thursday that their advancement of a proposal to kill the Wyoming Business Council was "crazy" and "nuts." The bill will now head to the Legislature.

Gov's Office: "This Is Nuts" As Bill To Kill Wyo Biz Council Heads To Legislature

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Dale Killingbeck

Crime & Courts

Courts

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<title>Casper Teen Sentenced To Eight -To-10 Years For Stabbing Friend Over Girl | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A 19-year-old Casper man was sentenced to 8 - 10 years in prison Thursday for the stabbing of a 17-year-old boy over a mutual love interest. The victim’s mother told the perpetrator, "“I watched the video of you attempting to take my son’s life."

Casper Teen Sentenced To Eight -To-10 Years For Stabbing Friend Over Girl

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's Feature Reporter, Andrew Rossi.

Andrew Rossi

Wyoming Life

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<title>Eastern Wyoming Faces Hurricane Winds And Freezing Temps; Power Shutoff Possible | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A massive Canadian cold front, bringing gusts up to 75 mph and single-digit wind chills, will clip eastern Wyoming on Friday. Black Hills Energy declared an Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff Watch in some areas due to “high fire-risk conditions.”

Eastern Wyoming Faces Hurricane Winds And Freezing Temps; Power Shutoff Possible

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<title>Cody Man Sentenced For Pipe Bombs, Machine Gun; Claimed They Were For "Sporting Purposes" | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Cody man was sentenced to 4.25 years in prison on Wednesday for possessing 28 weapons, including pipe bombs and a machine gun, while he was under a protection order. Ronald Bailey said he was the victim and his weapons were for sporting purposes only.

Cody Man Sentenced For Pipe Bombs, Machine Gun; Claimed They Were For "Sporting Purposes"

Zakary Sonntag

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<title>Even Some Legislators Stunned By Defunding Wyoming Business Council | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Natrona County legislators gathered Wednesday to preview priorities ahead of next month's budget session. But the discussion was hijacked by some stunned over Tuesday’s defunding of the Wyoming Business Council.

Even Some Legislators Stunned By Defunding Wyoming Business Council

Kate Meadows

Education

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<title>Sweetwater County Parents Blast School District Over Vacancies, Superintendent Raise | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Parents in Sweetwater County School District No. 1 are blasting the board for high vacancies, ignored comments, a secret superintendent raise, and poor accountability. Despite promises, leadership offers muted responses amid ongoing turmoil.

Sweetwater County Parents Blast School District Over Vacancies, Superintendent Raise

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's founder Jimmy Orr

 is co-founder and executive editor of Cowboy State Daily.

Orr is a longtime journalist who was on the masthead at the Los Angeles Times and the Christian Science Monitor as the Managing Editor, Digital.

In the political arena, Orr served as a spokesman for the White House and directed digital strategy for President George W. Bush and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to these positions, Orr worked for Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer and U.S. Senators Malcolm Wallop and Al Simpson.

He was also a co-founder of The Sports Show with ESPN's Woody Paige and was the executive producer of Clay Travis' Outkick the Show.

<title>Jimmy Orr | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Jimmy Orr

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 is managing editor for Cowboy State Daily at the headquarters in Cheyenne.

A veteran journalist of more than 31 years covering Western issues and politics, Greg spent stints in Wyoming as managing editor for the Gillette News Record and Laramie Boomerang. Greg's produced award-winning journalism, and has built a national reputation for his extensive coverage of Wyoming energy -- especially coal.

He previously spent seven years editing and reporting in Alaska, and was managing editor for Sarah Palin's hometown paper when she was tapped as John McCain's running mate in 2008. Greg studied music and English at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Outside the office, Greg likes photography, reading and all things sports.

<title>Greg Johnson | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Greg Johnson

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily editor Justin George

Justin George is a journalist and editor who has worked for eight news organizations across four states & Washington, D.C., including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun & Tampa Bay Times. Over nearly 25 years, he has covered public safety, transportation, education, the Department of Justice and local government. In 2015, George embedded with the Baltimore Police Department during the internal investigation of the death of Freddie Gray. His coverage contributed to the Baltimore Sun being named a 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist. 

<title>Justin George | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Justin George

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 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.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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 Valentines Day, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<title>Clair McFarland | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's outdoor and wildlife reporter, Mark Heinz.

[{"type":"text","text":"Mark Heinz covers the outdoors and wildlife for Cowboy State Daily."}]

He previously worked or freelanced for numerous newspapers and magazines across Wyoming, Idaho and Montana  covering all manner of news and feature stories. He has a strong background in topics related to wildlife, hunting, and wildlands conservation. Hes written extensively since the 1990s about the controversies surrounding wolves, grizzly bears and mustangs.

He also enjoys people-centric stories with quirky edge of humor and has written several such pieces for Cowboy State Daily.&nbsp;

Mark lives in Laramie with his wife, Kendy, and the youngest of their five children.

<title>Mark Heinz | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Mark Heinz

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's business and tourism reporter, Renée Jean

 is the business and tourism reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. Previously, Ren&eacute;e spent seven years covering energy and agriculture in North Dakota and Montana. She has won many writing awards over a 30-year career, and has written magazine articles for Guideposts.

<title>Renée Jean | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Renée Jean

Killingbeck is glad to be back in journalism after working for 18 years in corporate communications with a health system in northern Michigan. He spent the previous 16 years working for newspapers in western Michigan in various roles.

<title>Dale Killingbeck | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Jen Kocher.

[{"type":"text","text":"Jen Kocher is Cowboy State Daily's reporter in Gillette, Wyoming."}]

Hard-hitting, thorough, and relentless, Kocher is a bulldog who prides herself in finding the stories that are challenging, meaningful, and difficult for others to attempt.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Jennifer has lived all over the West and moved to Wyoming just under a decade ago where shes written for dozens of magazines and publications throughout the state.

With masters degrees in creative writing and nonfiction and several awards under her belt, she loves writing features and long-form stories as well.

Outside of work, Jennifer loves anything to do with birds, wine, hiking or traveling.

<title>Jen Kocher | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Jen Kocher

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's night editor, Coy Knobel.

[{"type":"text","text":"Coy is the night editor at Cowboy State Daily."}]

Before joining Cowboy State Daily, he worked as the late Wyoming U.S. Senator Mike Enzi's Press Secretary, Communications Director and Chief of Staff. Prior to his time in Washington, D.C., Coy was a radio broadcaster in Riverton and editor of the Dubois Frontier Newspaper.

Coy Knobel

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