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
Volkswagen Bug Breaks Down So Alleged Drug Dealer Can't Finish Meth Run
A Gillette drug dealer couldn’t finish his methamphetamine run from Colorado last month because his Volkswagen bug slowed to a smoke-spewing crawl when he hit Chugwater, court documents say.
Clair McFarlandJuly 17, 2024
Casper Millionaire's Son Loses Inheritance For Suing Co-Heirs
A Casper millionaire’s son lost his portion of a $4 million inheritance for suing co-beneficiaries of his father’s estate, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandJuly 17, 2024
Wyoming Man Dead In Nebraska Semi Vs. Freight Train Crash
One Wyoming man died and one was injured Tuesday after a semi truck reportedly tried to beat a train to a temporary crossing on a curved Nebraska highway.
Clair McFarlandJuly 17, 2024
Rock Springs Woman Accused Of Stealing Ex's Gun While Texting Him About It
A Rock Springs woman accused of breaking into her ex-boyfriend’s home to steal a gun while sending him suspicious text messages about it faces up to 25 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 2024
Sheridan 4-Year-Old Defies Medical Odds, Awakes From Coma And Is Recovering
Doctors said 4-year-old Serafina Blue Day might not be able to talk or hear after she suffered brain damage in a two-story fall last month. But then she woke from 10-day coma and by Sunday, she'd regained her spunky personality.
Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 2024
Evanston Horse Molester Gets Maximum Sentence For Bestiality
James Botkin on Monday accepted a plea agreement giving him the maximum sentence for bestiality after he was arrested for sexually violating a horse at the Uinta County fairgrounds. He was sentenced to a year in jail.
Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 2024
Man Arrested In Alleged Sexual Abuse Of Horse In Evanston
A Texas couple said they caught a man early Monday in a stall at the Uinta County fairgrounds violating their horse. The man has been charged with one count of bestiality and faces one year in jail, if convicted.
Clair McFarlandJuly 15, 2024
A Punch Over A Parking Dispute Kills Sheridan Hockey Coach
Sheridan hockey coach Patrick Mudd died over the weekend, after he was allegedly "sucker punched" in a parking lot outside of the Sheridan WYO rodeo. The hockey community laid their sticks outside his home in mourning.
Clair McFarlandJuly 15, 2024
Game Warden Involved In Wolf Torture Investigation Charged With DUI
Herbert “Bubba” Haley, one of the game wardens who investigated the capture, torture and killing of a wolf in Sublette County was charged with driving under the influence, according to court records.
Mark Heinz & Clair McFarlandJuly 15, 2024
Clair McFarland: Finding The Right Word After The Shooting
Clair McFarland writes: "This is what we’ve come to. Instead of being a people who self-identify by our faith, our family, and our goals, we present our political identities foremost, like a cattle brand."
Clair McFarlandJuly 14, 2024
Wyoming At Least One Year Away From Offering Digital Driver's Licenses
The State of Wyoming is at least a year away from offering digital driver's licenses after the legislature authorized the use in 2020. Currently 11 states allow digital driver's licenses on phones and some allow them on watches.
Clair McFarlandJuly 14, 2024
Trump Shot At Rally, Wyoming Delegation Sends Prayers
Wyoming's congressional delegation sent prayers Saturday evening immediately after former President Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump is safe, the Secret Service announced after the incident.
Clair McFarlandJuly 13, 2024
Yes, You Can Bury Grandma In The Backyard For A Tax Break In Wyoming (Kind Of)
In Wyoming generally, people can bury their loved ones on their private land and get a break on property taxes for having a "cemetery." But there's some regulatory hassle.
Clair McFarlandJuly 13, 2024
Drunk Worland Man Charged With Trying To Steal Puppy Out Of Shelter
A drunk Worland, Wyoming, man who wasn’t allowed to adopt a bulldog-mix puppy was caught allegedly cutting through a chain-link fence to steal the pup.
Clair McFarlandJuly 12, 2024
Wind River Reservation Man Accused Of Raping Runaway Girl
Accused of getting a 14-year-old runaway drunk, putting her in a chokehold and molesting her, a 32-year-old Crowheart, Wyoming, man faces a potential lifetime in prison.
Clair McFarlandJuly 12, 2024
Motorcycle Gang Rivalry Boils Over At Wyoming Truck Stop
When members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club came across a man wearing a Hell’s Angels jacket at a Wamsutter truck stop, the rivalry between the gangs boiled over. Now seven Mongols face felony charges for robbery and intimidation.
Clair McFarlandJuly 12, 2024
Biden Insists He's Fit For Office, Calls Zelensky "Putin" and Trump His "Vice President"
Wyoming’s congressional delegation said President Biden’s Thursday press conference, during which he mistakenly called former President Trump his vice president, was another failure.
Clair McFarlandJuly 12, 2024
'Luckiest Kid In Sublette County' Demolishes Old Post Office With 5th-Wheel
The old post office in Marbleton, Wyoming, was demolished when a 17-year-old took a corner too fast and launched a truck and trailer through it. The owner of the building said the teen is the “luckiest kid in Sublette County” for walking away alive.
Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2024
Rock Springs Hostage Fought Husband For Gun While Taking A Beating
A woman held hostage at gunpoint by her estranged husband fought him for the weapon while taking a beating, court documents say. The man eventually gave up, but not before terrorizing his wife and repeatedly telling her they both would die.
Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2024
In Brief: Gillette 18-Year-Old Burned When Bucket Of Gas Spills In Car
A Gillette 18-year-old who had a bucket of gasoline in a car was burned early Wednesday morning. After gas had sloshed out of the bucket inside the car, a teen lit it on fire thinking it would burn off the spilled gas but not damage the car.
Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2024
In Brief: Sorry, Thieves, $14 Million Treasure Stashed In Smoot Home Is Gone
Cowboy State Daily reported Tuesday about a massive $14 million heist of gold, silver and cash from a Smoot, Wyoming, home. Now the local sheriff has a message for other potential thieves: Sorry, there’s no more treasure stashed there.
Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2024
Laramie Woman Gets 7-10 Years In Prison For Molesting Foster Teen
A Laramie woman was sentenced to 7-10 years in prison Monday after accepting a plea agreement for molesting a 14-year-old foster teen. The boy was living in a youth home where she worked, and her deal includes a reduction of sentence if she gets a GED.
Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2024
Xanterra Worker Arrested For Mass Shooting Threat Day After Fatal Yellowstone Shootout
A Xanterra worker was arrested Monday for allegedly threatening a mass shooting a day after a fatal shootout park rangers had with another Xanterra employee. He told rangers he just “lost my cool.”
Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2024
Man Accused Of Stealing $14 Million In Gold And Silver From Father’s Wyoming Home
A Las Vegas man is accused of stealing $14 million in gold and silver from his father’s home in Smoot, Wyoming. He reportedly told investigators he didn’t steal the treasure out of greed, he was just keeping it safe.
Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2024
Yellowstone Gunman Was Firing Semiautomatic Weapon Toward Dining Area
The Yellowstone contract employee killed during a Fourth of July shootout with rangers had been firing a semiautomatic weapon, authorities said Tuesday. He had been firing it toward a dining area when confronted by rangers.
Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2024
Rock Springs Man Arrested After Holding Person Hostage, Locking Children In Car
A Rock Springs man was arrested late Monday after allegedly holding someone hostage in his home and locking three kids in a car. Police say Cody Birdwell eventually surrendered and remains in jail on multiple charges.
Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2024
Couple Charged With Bear-Spraying Woman Who Drove Through Camp
Accused of blasting a woman who drove through their campsite with bear spray and firing a 9 mm pistol toward her car in the Bridger Teton National Forest, a South Dakota couple now faces up to 10 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2024
Former Top Park Service Officials Say Yellowstone Rangers Likely Saved Many Lives
Former top National Park Service officials told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that the response of Yellowstone Park rangers to a gunman threatening a mass shooting on July 4 likely saved many lives.
Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2024
Yellowstone Shooter Took Woman Hostage, Held Her At Gunpoint: Scanner Recording
The Yellowstone contract worker who injured a park ranger and was killed in a shootout on July 4 held a female hostage at gunpoint prior to his death, according to a recording of a "be-on-the lookout" notice aired on the Park County dispatch system hours before.
Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2024
Yellowstone Shooter Identified, Was 28-Year-Old Contract Worker From Florida
The man who died in a shootout with Yellowstone National Park rangers on the Fourth of July was 28-year-old Samson Fussner, the Park County Coroner told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday morning.
Clair McFarlandJuly 06, 2024
Wyoming Woman Raffling Off Son's Pigs After He Allegedly Stabbed Her
A Campbell County woman whose teenage son allegedly stabbed her in the back while she slept is raffling off his pigs to pay down her medical costs. Winners will receive half a hog each; butchered, cut and wrapped.
Clair McFarlandJuly 04, 2024
One Person Dead After Fourth Of July Shootout In Yellowstone
One person was killed in a shootout with a Yellowstone National Park ranger Thursday morning, after an exchange of gunfire in the Canyon Village. The ranger was injured and is now receiving medical treatment.
Clair McFarlandJuly 04, 2024
Judge Rules Wyoming Doesn't Have To Follow Biden's Trans Bathroom Rules
A federal judge Tuesday said Wyoming doesn't have to follow a new federal rule allowing males identifying as females in school bathrooms. The judge ruled that Title IX doesn't trump free speech, privacy and safety rights of girls.
Clair McFarlandJuly 03, 2024
Hemp Businesses Sue Gordon, State Of Wyoming Over New Cannabis Law
Ten Wyoming hemp businesses and one individual hemp seller on Monday asked a federal judge to declare Wyoming’s new law against synthetic cannabis variants unlawful by Congress’ standards, and to block it going forward.
Clair McFarlandJuly 03, 2024
Wyoming’s First Black Female Prison Warden Loses Hostile Workplace Lawsuit
A federal jury ruled Tuesday that the Wyoming Department of Corrections did not create an unlawfully hostile work environment for the state’s first Black female prison warden, who claimed corruption within her ranks.
Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2024
Gillette Foursome Accused Of Pistol-Whipping Men In Retaliation For Kidnapping
After a Gillette woman told her friends an ex-boyfriend had kidnapped her Saturday, they allegedly barged into a shop, held two men at gunpoint and pistol-whipped them.
Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2024
Evanston Man Accused Of Rampage With Hatchet, Shovel And Machete
An Evanston man accused of terrorizing his estranged wife with a hatchet, shovel and machete will face felony charges, a judge decided Friday. He could get up to 41 years in prison if convicted.
Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2024
Cody Police Bust Meth Lab When Woman Reports Boyfriend
Cody police say they busted a local meth lab after a woman reported her boyfriend for cooking the drug in their home. He’s in court Wednesday, and could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2024
Wyoming Split On Landmark Ruling That Trump Can’t Be Prosecuted For Official Acts
Wyoming legal opinions are split on Monday’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for official acts in office.
Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2024
Clair McFarland: Suddenly, Minivans Are Not Lame
Clair McFarland writes: "The Husband scrunched his nose when he saw it. He’s always avoided minivans. Right now we’ve got a GMC Yukon for trips with all six of us. A Yukon is more manly than a minivan, The Husband has explained, because it’s a truck with a few back seats."
Clair McFarlandJune 30, 2024
Cheyenne “Voodoo Man” Arrested, But Business Owners Worried He'll Be Out Soon
Cheyenne business owners were relieved to hear that a towering man who wields a staff and pronounces voodoo curses and death threats toward them was arrested Thursday, but they suspect he won’t be in jail long.
Clair McFarlandJune 29, 2024
Man Accused Of Hitting Brother In Head With Axe At Riverton City Park
A St. Stephens man has been charged with attacking his brother with an axe at Riverton City Park. He was allegedly caught on video swinging the axe at his brother and hitting him in the head. His preliminary hearing is Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandJune 28, 2024
Supreme Court Guts Fed Bureaucratic Rulemaking Power, Wyoming Leaders Rejoice
Wyoming conservatives praised a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Friday which is being called a “massive blow” to rulemaking power of federal agencies.
Clair McFarlandJune 28, 2024
Wyoming Ranchers Cheer Tractor Supply For Ditching 'Woke' Goals After Taking $2B Hit
Wyoming ranchers applauded Tractor Supply's decision to eliminate DEI roles, quit sponsoring LGBTQ pride festivals, and drop carbon goals after a conservative outcry this week. The company took a $2.4 billion hit to its market cap in just one week.
Clair McFarlandJune 28, 2024
Cheyenne Teachers Now Required To Notify Parents If Kids Change Their Names
Teachers in Cheyenne will now be required to notify parents when their kids want to go by other names or nicknames, including transgender names. The district took its policy a step further than state law.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2024
Hageman Blasts Supreme Court For Allowing Government To Censor Social Media
Harriet Hageman on Thursday blasted a Wednesday U.S. Supreme Court ruling that lifts a ban on government-induced censorship of social media. “The courts have failed to remedy this blatant censorship; the ultimate solution lies with Congress,” she said.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2024
Manslaughter Charge Filed In Fatal Beating Of Riverton Man Outside Church
A local man was charged with manslaughter Wednesday in the February beating death of a Riverton man outside a church. The suspect allegedly told police he “might have escalated the assault too far.”
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2024
Guns, Credit Cards Stolen From Wyoming Rancher Accused Of Starving Animals
A Shawnee, Wyoming, rancher accused of starving five confined animals alleged had guns, credit cards and other things stolen from his home, according to Converse County District Court records.
Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2024
Douglas Man Accused Of Killing 14-Year-Old In Drunken Head-On Crash
A Douglas, Wyoming, man faces charges of vehicular homicide and DUI after allegedly causing a Sunday head-on crash that killed a 14-year-old and seriously hurt a woman and a 6-year-old child, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reported Wednesday.
Clair McFarlandJune 26, 2024
Man Who Killed ‘Heavily Intoxicated’ Son Of Neighbor Acted In Self-Defense
A Cheyenne man who shot and killed the “heavily intoxicated” son of a downstairs neighbor March 30 won’t be prosecuted because he was acting in self-defense, Laramie County District Attorney Sylvia Hackl said Monday.
Clair McFarlandJune 24, 2024
Alpine, Wyoming, Man Dies In Tragic Wood Chipper Accident
An Alpine-area fire prevention worker died in a wood-chipper accident Tuesday. The man got entangled in the wood chipper and it had to be disassembled to get him out, but the accident was not survivable.
Clair McFarlandJune 20, 2024
Rawlins Man Accused Of Molesting Young Girls Could Get 680 Years In Prison
A Rawlins man accused of molesting two 5-year-old girls and a 6-year-old reportedly told police he’s sexually attracted to children and described the ways he has molested a child in the past. He could get 680 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandJune 19, 2024
Lusk School Board Member Censured For Online 'Threat' To District Employee
A Niobrara County School Board member was censured after telling an employee, “I hope you never piss anyone off,” and that she had intel that could cause the employee trouble.
Clair McFarlandJune 19, 2024
Casper Police Chief Pushes For Anti-Squatting Laws In Wyoming
Casper’s police chief told legislators Tuesday that Wyoming needs criminal laws and penalties to fight a growing squatting problem that’s victimizing home and property owners in his city and around the state.
Clair McFarlandJune 19, 2024
Suspect In Disappearance Of Cody Woman Strikes Plea On Federal Gun Charge
The on-and-off-boyfriend and suspect in the disappearance of a Cody woman reached a plea deal Friday on a separate federal gun violation that could keep him in jail for years. The woman has been missing since Oct. 5.
Clair McFarlandJune 18, 2024
Wyoming Man Was Talking To Demons While Vandalizing Building, Deputy Says
An Upton man was reportedly talking to demons when vandalizing a local business at 3 a.m. earlier this month. When deputies caught up with him, he told them, “I’m not in the mood for this.” He has been charged with felony level property destruction
Clair McFarlandJune 18, 2024
Witnesses Say Sheridan Woman Pulled Knife After Twerking Battle Gone Wrong
The drinking buddies of a 30-year-old woman in Sheridan say she swung a knife at them after a "twerking battle" ended poorly at her home. The woman's arraignment is set for next month.
Clair McFarlandJune 17, 2024
Searchers Find Kayak And Paddle, But Not Missing Kayaker On Jackson Lake
A search continues Monday for a Minnesota kayaker who went missing on Jackson Lake on Saturday. His kayak and paddle have been found, but the man is still missing.
Clair McFarlandJune 17, 2024
Meet Ashlea Roberts: The Rattlesnake Wrangler Of Rawlins, Wyoming
Rattlesnakes populate about two-thirds of Carbon County in southern Wyoming. When people there encounter the pit vipers, they call Ashlea Roberts, the rattlesnake wrangler of Rawlins.
Clair McFarlandJune 14, 2024
Wyoming Delegation Says Supreme Court Was Right To Shoot Down Bump Stock Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to shoot down a Trump administration ban on bump stocks for semiautomatic weapons on Friday is being hailed by Wyoming’s U.S. senators as a victory for the Second Amendment.
Clair McFarlandJune 14, 2024
Arapahoe Woman Guilty Of Torturing Teen Son, Keeping Him In Crawl Space
After a four-day trial, a jury found Kandace Sitting Eagle of Arapahoe, Wyoming, guilty Thursday of torturing her teen son, amid evidence she helped hide him from authorities in a crawl space. Her husband has also pleaded guilty to the abuse.
Clair McFarlandJune 14, 2024
Florida Man Who Swiped Fire Truck Accused Of Wrecking Stolen Semi In Wyoming
A man once found "buck-ass naked" in a Florida firehouse before swiping a fire department's truck is now facing felony charges for allegedly stealing a semitruck from Colorado, driving it through Wyoming and then wrecking it.
Clair McFarlandJune 13, 2024
Men Who Claimed Forced Labor, Trafficking By Wyoming Youth Ranch Agree To Settlement
Two men who were former residents at the Triangle Cross Ranch for troubled teens in Park County and who sued over claims of forced labor and trafficking will drop their lawsuit over the allegations after reaching a settlement.
Clair McFarlandJune 13, 2024
Federal Court Dismisses Complaint Over Wyoming Transgender Sorority Member
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed an appeal of University of Wyoming sorority members who sued over the induction of a transgender member. The court said the women have the option of filing a new complaint, however.
Clair McFarlandJune 13, 2024
Life Without Parole For Kemmerer Babysitter Who Beat 5-Year-Old To Death
Cheri Marler, the Kemmerer babysitter who beat a 5-year-old girl to death, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday during an emotionally charged sentencing hearing.
Clair McFarlandJune 12, 2024
After Year On The Run, Man Accused Of Breaking Laramie Woman’s Face Is Caught
After punching a Laramie woman in the face so hard he broke her jaw “from ear to ear,” a 60-year-old drifter has been on the run for almost a year — until Tuesday, when he was caught in Colorado.
Clair McFarlandJune 12, 2024
80-Year-Old Montana Man Gets Two Months In Jail For Killing Grizzly, Evidence Tampering
An 80-year-old Montana man was told Tuesday he’ll serve two months in jail and pay a $10,000 fine after covering up the killing of a grizzly bear on his property. The sentence was stiffer than both the defense and prosecution had agreed to prior.
Clair McFarlandJune 12, 2024
Wyoming Dems Call Barrasso Anti-Woman For Helping Block So-Called "Contraception Rights Act"
The Wyoming Democratic Party said Sen. John Barrasso is anti-woman for his Monday vote against the so-called Right to Contraception Act. He said the bill would have funneled taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood and created a federal right to oral abortion drugs.
Clair McFarlandJune 11, 2024
Badly Burned Wyoming Oil Field Workers Sue Over Back-To-Back Explosions
A piece of equipment allegedly exploded in the face of a Wyoming oil field worker in mid-December. Six weeks later the equipment allegedly exploded again, seriously burning a second worker. Both filed suit against Anschutz Exploration Corp on Monday.
Clair McFarlandJune 11, 2024
Judge Balks At 5-7 Years For Man Who Trafficked Porn Involving Infants And Dogs
A Wyoming judge said Tuesday she has doubts about whether she’ll accept a plea agreement of 5-7 years in prison for a man accused of trafficking pornography involving infants, toddlers and dogs. The judge said she found the plea agreement to be lenient.
Clair McFarlandJune 11, 2024
Two Colorado Men Busted Trying To Smuggle Lamborghinis Through Wyoming
A pair of men from Colorado who were busted after trying to drive stolen Lamborghinis through Wyoming had their cases elevated to felony court. The cars, which can drive more than 200 MPH, are worth more than $550,000.
Clair McFarlandJune 10, 2024
‘He’s Not Sorry,’ Family Of Slain Woman Says As Accused Killer Pleads Not Guilty
Family of Utahnna Bearcomesout looked on Monday as her accused killer pleaded not guilty, then told them he’s sorry while leaving the courtroom in shackles. “He’s not sorry,” the alleged victim’s sister said.
Clair McFarlandJune 10, 2024
Utahnna's Story: She Became Withdrawn And Isolated, Then Was Shot To Death
Utahnna Bearcomesout's family and friends remember her as a fun person and a caring mother. They also remember how she cut herself off from others during her marriage to the man now accused of killing her.
Clair McFarlandJune 09, 2024
Rock Springs Airport Says It Didn’t Violate PETA’s Rights By Not Running Giant Cow Ad
The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport’s board on Friday said refusing to let PETA place a giant cow ad in its airport didn't violate the animal rights group’s free speech rights.
Clair McFarlandJune 08, 2024
Wyoming Tribe Could Get $1.5 Million Because Feds Short-Changed Indian Health Clinics
A legal fight by the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming over short-changing Indian health clinics ended Thursday with the U.S. Supreme Court siding with the tribes and saying the law supports the tribe’s claim it’s owed $1.5 million.
Clair McFarlandJune 06, 2024
Wyoming Duck Hunter Faces Felony Charge For Unintentional Gunshot Death
Accused of pointing his gun in an unsafe direction while inspecting it, accidentally firing and killing his hunting partner, a 20-year-old Laramie man is now facing a manslaughter charge in a felony-level court in Torrington, Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandJune 06, 2024
Mom Of Accused Child Torturer Charged With Feeding Boy Laxatives To Halt FBI Interview
The mother of a Wyoming woman accused of torturing her 13-year-old son has been charged with witness tampering for allegedly feeding one young boy laxatives to halt his FBI interview.
Clair McFarlandJune 06, 2024
Jackson Hole Winery Shut Down By HOA Rules To Stay Closed, Judge Says
The Jackson Hole Winery’s attempt to reopen a lawsuit that had culminated in an order putting it out of business failed last week when a judge upheld the HOA rules that shut the business down when neighbors complained about it.
Clair McFarlandJune 05, 2024
Thermopolis Cop Who Triggered Fatal Shootout Cleared By Town, Back On Full Duty
The town of Thermopolis announced Tuesday that it disagrees with a special prosecutor's opinion that Sgt. Mike Mascorro illegally entered a suspect's home to trigger a fatal shootout in April 2023, and has reinstated Mascorro back to full duty.
Clair McFarlandJune 05, 2024
PETA Sues Rock Springs Airport For Denying Its Cow Ad
PETA filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force the Rock Springs airport to display an advertisement equating leather luggage to animal cruelty. The ad, in part, states “cruelty doesn’t fly — choose vegan.”
Clair McFarlandJune 05, 2024
Body Found In Colorado 24 Years Ago Identified As Rock Springs Man
After 24 years and multiple DNA tests, Colorado authorities have identified a man found dead near Greeley on Valentine’s Day 2000 as Rock Springs resident Christopher Scott Case.
Clair McFarlandJune 05, 2024
Cheyenne Substitute Teacher Says He Was Kicked Out For Not Using Trans Names
A Wyoming substitute teacher says he was barred from working in Laramie County School District No. 1 after refusing to use preferred transgender names of students.
Clair McFarlandJune 04, 2024
Sheridan OKs $250K For House Destroyed In Standoff With Suspected Cop-Killer
A local woman whose home was destroyed during a 32-hour standoff with a suspected cop-killer in February will get another $250,000 from the city of Sheridan to help rebuild after the city council approved the settlement Monday.
Clair McFarlandJune 04, 2024
Scammer Tried Convincing Sheridan Woman He Kidnapped Her Daughter
A man with a Wyoming area code called a Sheridan woman last week and told her that her daughter had been forced into a vehicle and was being held for ransom. It turned out to be a scam but officers warn these types of scams are becoming more prevalent.
Clair McFarlandJune 03, 2024
Black Lab Ingests Meth At Gillette Park, Wags Tail "1,000 Miles Per Hour"
It was a close call but Tator, a black Labrador retriever, got into some meth last week at a park in Gillette. He survived but his owners said he was wired out of his mind with his tail wagging "1,000 miles per hour."
Clair McFarlandJune 03, 2024
Cheyenne Police Officers Found Liable For Illegally Breaking Into Man’s Home
Three former Cheyenne police officers are civilly liable for breaking into a man's home illegally after grabbing his pregnant wife, a U.S. District Court judge ruled. A jury will decide how much money the officers each owe the victim for their unlawful entry.
Clair McFarlandJune 03, 2024
Man Who Said He Slit Mom’s Throat Because Of Attic People To Have Sanity Checked
A Wyoming judge paused a Gillette man's attempted murder case Friday and ordered a sanity test, after the man reportedly told police he slit his mother’s throat when distant attic people threatened him.
Clair McFarlandJune 03, 2024
Clair McFarland: This Restaurant Has Great Food, But The Staff Is Sketchy
Columnist Clair McFarland writes, "I can see inside the kitchen over a half-wall barrier and, oh my. If I had a weak stomach or a Karen temperament I’d call the department of health."
Clair McFarlandJune 02, 2024
Wyoming Catholic College Students Surrender Their Cellphones For Four Years
Wyoming Catholic College students put their phones in a locked cupboard for four years at the school in Lander. Some are surprised how disconnecting from their devices opens their minds.
Clair McFarlandJune 01, 2024
Cheyenne Shop Owners Fed Up With 6-Foot-4 Shaman’s Death Threats And Harassment
Downtown Cheyenne business owners say they’re fed up with an aggressive 6-foot-4-inch man who calls himself “Wisdom," brandishes a staff like a shaman, claims he practices Voodoo, and then threatens to kill them or burn their shops down.
Clair McFarlandMay 31, 2024
Cheyenne Man Accused Of Shooting Up Estranged Wife’s House, Kidnapping Her
The estranged husband of a Cheyenne woman was elevated to felony-level court Thursday on charges he allegedly shot up her house, dragged her out to his car and then kidnapped her. He faces 55 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandMay 31, 2024
Former Gillette Cop Accused Of Triple Homicide Had Justified Shooting In Wyoming
Former Gillette cop Jay Ostrem, who has been accused of a rage-fueled triple homicide in South Dakota earlier this week, was involved in a lethal use-of-force incident 23 years ago in Gillette. The judge in a resulting lawsuit noted Ostrem's shooting was justified.
Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2024
Prosecutor From Matthew Shepard Case Says 'Gay Panic' Defense Shouldn't Be Allowed
Minnesota has become the 19th state to ban the “gay panic” defense in criminal cases. Wyoming’s laws don’t discuss this defense strategy at all but the lead prosecutor on the Matthew Shepard case said it shouldn't be allowed anywhere.
Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2024
Wyoming Professor Tells Supreme Court Not To Let Mexico Sue Gun Makers
A Wyoming professor wants the U.S. Supreme Court to kill Mexico’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit as an illegal attempt to bankrupt America’s firearms industry, an effort a Cowboy State gun advocate calls “more of a stunt … than a serious lawsuit.”
Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2024
Former Wyoming Police Sergeant Charged With Triple Homicide In South Dakota
Jay Ostrem, a former Gillette, Wyoming, police sergeant, has been charged with triple homicide for allegedly killing three people Monday in South Dakota.
Clair McFarlandMay 29, 2024
Sheridan May Give Woman $250K For House Destroyed In Police Standoff
The city of Sheridan is considering giving $250,000 to the woman whose home was destroyed during a February standoff and shootout with the man suspected of killing police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee.
Clair McFarlandMay 29, 2024
Gillette Man Says Distant Attic People Triggered Him To Slit Mother’s Throat
A Gillette man told a sheriff’s investigator he was defending himself from people in a "distant attic" when he lifted his mother’s chin and slit her throat. He’s been charged with attempted murder, and she’s recovering in a hospital.
Clair McFarlandMay 28, 2024
Cheyenne Mom Who Swung Toddler 'Like A Baseball Bat' Gets 10-15 Years In Prison
A 21-year-old Cheyenne mother who swung her 2-year-old son "like a baseball bat" apologized Tuesday, saying that “he didn’t deserve this” as she was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandMay 28, 2024
Wyoming Mother Of Nine Gets Personal Best In Triathlon Despite Breaking A Rib
Evanston's April Lange, a mother of nine, set a personal best by 10 minutes in a 70-mile triathlon earlier this month in St. George, Utah. Even more impressive, she did it with a broken rib that she suffered five minutes into the race.
Clair McFarlandMay 27, 2024
Pro-Business Group Pulls Endorsement Over Legislator's Testimony In Support Of Rapist
A libertarian-leaning, pro-business group withdrew its endorsement Friday from Wyoming state Rep Landon Brown because he spoke in support of a convicted rapist at a Thursday sentencing hearing.
Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2024
Accused Wyoming Child Torturer Doesn’t Want Kids To Testify At Her Trial
A Wyoming woman accused to torturing her 13-year-old son, whom police reportedly found in a crawl space with broken bones and starving, petitioned the court this week to not let any of her other five children testify against her.
Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2024
BRIEF: Feds Don’t Want To Return Wyoming Man's Illegal Machine Gun
After taking an illegal 9 mm Glock converted to a machine gun — and other weapons — from a Worland, Wyoming, man last year, the federal government asked a judge Friday to let it keep the guns.
Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2024
Accused Wyoming Pronghorn Poacher Caught After Standoff With Police
A Moorcroft, Wyoming, woman accused of helping poach a pronghorn also faces felony drug possession charges after an hours-long nonviolent standoff with police in her house.
Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2024
Trooper Gets 10-15 Years For Rape As Wyoming Legislator Calls Him ‘A Man of God’
A Cheyenne judge Thursday sentenced a former Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper who raped a woman to 10-15 years in prison despite a state legislator lobbying the judge for leniency, calling him “a man of God.”
Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2024
Wyoming Man Accused Of Killing Woman, Molesting Body Won’t Stop Writing To Judge
A man accused of murdering his on-and-off girlfriend and molesting her body won’t stop writing letters to his circuit court judge, even as they’ve been used as evidence against him.
Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2024
Wyoming Child Molester Can’t Get Back Phone That May Have Child Porn On It
The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a convicted child molester serving 18-20 years in prison can’t get back the cellphone police took from him because it “likely” has pornographic photos of his underage victim on it.
Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2024
Gillette Atheist Who Lost Prayer Lawsuit Wants His Own Commandments In Park
A Gillette atheist who lost a lawsuit over prayers before public meetings is now suing to put the atheist 21 Rules alongside a 10 Commandments monument in a local park. He also wants $240 million.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2024
Laramie Pair Accused Of Racking Up $5K On Stranger's True Value Account
A Laramie man and woman are accused of wracking up nearly $5,000 in charges on a stranger’s True Value hardware account when the woman convinced store workers she was the account holder’s daughter.
Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2024
Neighbors Got Jackson Hole Winery Shut Down With HOA Rules But Winery Fighting Back
A Jackson Hole couple that built a home-based winery into a $2 million a year business has been shut down after neighbors sued, saying the operation violated their homeowners association rules. The couple is fighting back to reopen their winery.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2024
Gillette Woman Says She Regrets Ramming Car Of Her Boyfriend's Mistress
A Gillette woman accused of “seeing red,” giving in to her rage and ramming into the car of her boyfriend’s mistress told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday that she would like to apologize publicly for her actions. The other woman had reportedly asked the defendant to bring her a soda.
Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2024
Pair Of Accused iPhone Scammers From New York Caught In Wyoming
Attentive employees at a Sheridan Verizon store caught a pair of New York men allegedly winding through the region stealing identities and buying iPhones with people's phone account information. They’re both facing felony charges.
Clair McFarlandMay 20, 2024
After Guilty Plea For Abusing Woman, Wyoming Man Allegedly Stabbed Another To Death
Nine days after an Ethete, Wyoming, man pleaded guilty to abusing a woman, he allegedly stabbed a different woman to death. He was indicted last week on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Clair McFarlandMay 20, 2024
Clair McFarland: "Please Discuss Your Son’s Behavior With Him"
Clair McFarland writes: "My Middleborn son is teaching me about the wonderful world of lunch detention."
Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2024
Inside Wyoming’s State Crime Lab, Which Was Just Named One Of Best In Country
One of the Wyoming State Crime Lab’s most notorious busts was a 14-year cold case. DNA technology linked a body found in the North Platte to inmate Dale Wayne Eaton. The victim’s car was then unearthed from his yard in Moneta, Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2024
Rocky Mountain Power Sues For Not Getting Full $140 Million Rate Hike
Rocky Mountain Power filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the Wyoming Public Service Commission for not approving a massive 29.2% rate hike last year. The suit said the company lost millions because of the ruling.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2024
Boyfriend Of Missing Cody Woman Remains A Suspect, Has New Gun Charge
The boyfriend of Katie Ferguson, who vanished while driving back to Wyoming with him from another state last fall, remains a suspect in her disappearance. And he now faces a new gun charge that could double his potential sentence to 30 years.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2024
Neighbor Sends Hail Of Bullets Through Gillette Woman’s Home, But ‘I Survived’
The Gillette woman whose home was shot up with a hail of bullets said Friday that she has “to move forward” after the terrifying experience. “I’ve been to hell and back more times than anybody will ever know, and I survived,” she said.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2024
Wyoming 5th Lowest In The Country For Flu Vax Rates
Wyoming has the fifth-lowest percentage of residents vaccinated for influenza at 43%. Idaho is the least-vaccinated state for influenza at 38.2% while Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the most vaccinated states in the country for the flu.
Clair McFarlandMay 17, 2024
Riverton Police Department Denies Claims By Native Officer Of Racist Treatment
In a response filed last week to a lawsuit brought by its first enrolled Northern Arapaho officer, the Riverton Police Department denies his claims of hostile, racist treatment.
Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2024
Cheyenne Inmate Accused Of Stealing Cookies When Jailhouse Drug Deal Goes Bad
An inmate in the Laramie County jail faces felony-level charges for allegedly attacking an older inmate and stealing his cookies. The inmates had prior issues over coffee and refried beans. But things came to a head over the cookies.
Clair McFarlandMay 15, 2024
Denver Mayor Mad At Wyoming Sheriff For Billboard, Says Sign Is Inaccurate
Denver's mayor says Sheriff Brian Kozak's billboard in Denver is inaccurate. He says Denver hasn't defunded the police even though millions of dollars have been diverted. Kozak said more than 100 cops have reached out to him since the sign went up.
Clair McFarlandMay 15, 2024
Wrong-Way Driver To Plead Guilty To Causing Fiery Crash That Killed 5
A wrong-way driver accused of triggering a fiery chain-reaction crash on I-80 near Rawlins, which killed five students, in January 2023 has agreed to plead guilty to five counts of vehicular homicide. He could get 75-100 years in prison.
Clair McFarlandMay 15, 2024
Wyoming Man Accused Of Bashing Neighbor In Face With Bat Has To Face Trial
A Wright, Wyoming, man accused of bashing his neighbor’s face with a baseball bat during a two-family brawl last Fourth of July can’t avoid trial on a self-defense argument, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2024
Wyoming Sorority Sisters Argue Against Trans Membership In Appeals Court
Six Wyoming Kappa Kappa Gamma members argued in a Denver appeals court Tuesday that their sorority acted in bad faith when inducting a transgender member into their chapter. Women's-rights activist Riley Gaines joined sorority members at the hearing.
Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2024
Female Juvenile Dead In Casper Shooting Incident
A juvenile female died in residential Casper, in what police are calling an isolated shooting incident that happened Tuesday morning. The Casper Police Department asks people to avoid the area of Whispering Springs Road and Gila Bend.
Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2024
Gillette 16-Year-Old Hits 142 MPH In Cadillac Trying To Outrun Cops
A former race car driver and the Campbell County undersheriff say a 16-year-old boy who led police on a high-speed chase hitting 142 mph is lucky. Any slight mishap at that speed is probably not survivable, they said.
Clair McFarland & Jimmy OrrMay 13, 2024
Wyoming Prisons Will Pay New Health Provider $46 Million Over 2 Years
The Wyoming Department of Corrections will pay Alabama-based health care provider Naphcare about $46.2 million over the next two years for medical care according to a contract released on Monday. That’s about 16% more than the cost of DOC’s longtime, now-former provider YesCare.
Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2024
Wyoming Sheriff Uses Billboard To Attract Denver Cops After City Defunded Police
Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak put up a billboard in Denver to attract cops who may be "frustrated" after that city defunded its police by $8.4 million. The billboard also emphasizes that breaking the law is still illegal in Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2024
Affidavit: Sheridan Assistant Principal Gave Teen Beer Before Alleged Sex Contact
Sheridan High School Assistant Principal Jacob Meyer, 33, remains in jail, accused of “sexual intrusion” on a girl about 15 years younger. He’s also accused of having indecent photos of her and giving her beer.
Greg Johnson & Clair McFarlandMay 11, 2024
Buffalo Cops Say They Busted Husband-Wife Morphine Dealing Team
Cops in Buffalo, Wyoming, say they busted an alleged husband-wife team dealing morphine, hydrocodone and Xanax. Their cases were elevated to felony-level court this week.
Clair McFarlandMay 10, 2024
Kemmerer Babysitter Guilty Of Beating 5-Year-Old Girl To Death
A jury took about 4.5 hours Friday to find Kemmerer babysitter Cheri Marler guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal beating death of a 5-year-old girl in her charge.
Clair McFarlandMay 10, 2024
Riverton Man Says Spilled Gas, Cigarette Caused Fire That Killed Girlfriend
A Riverton man charged Thursday with manslaughter after his girlfriend died in a “suspicious” fire told police that he spilled gasoline in several rooms of their house and it ignited when he lit a cigarette.
Clair McFarlandMay 10, 2024
Kemmerer Babysitter Says She Confessed To Killing 5-Year-Old To End Police Interview
Cheri Marler, the 53-year-old Kemmerer babysitter on trial for first-degree murder in the brutal beating death of a 5-year-old girl, testified at her trial Thursday that she confessed when interviewed by police just to end the lengthy interview.
Clair McFarlandMay 10, 2024
Trade Schools In Wyoming Don’t Have Pro-Palestine Protests
Officials at trade schools in Wyoming said the idea of their students tenting out and protesting for hours or days is not only unheard of, it’s a little bizarre. They said their students were too busy learning marketable skills.
Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2024
Riverton Man Arrested In Connection With Woman Found Dead In ‘Suspicious’ Fire
A 55-year-old Riverton man was arrested Thursday in connection with a “suspicious” house fire in which a local woman died in late April.
Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2024
Driver Barrels Into Riverton At 100 MPH, Crashes Into Cop Car
A Wyoming man faces felony eluding charges for allegedly barreling through the Wind River Indian Reservation and into Riverton, Wyoming, at 100 mph and crashing into a cop car.
Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2024
Former Wyoming Police Officer Charged With Sexually Torturing Mistress
A former police officer in Riverton, Wyoming, has been arrested in Colorado on suspicion of sexually torturing the 19-year-old extramarital girlfriend he reportedly met at a high school homecoming dance while a school resource officer.
Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2024
Wyoming Mixed On Boy Scouts Changing Name After 114 Years
After 114 years, the Boy Scouts of America will change the name of the organization early next year to Scouting America, a move that’s getting mixed reviews from people in Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2024
Sheridan High School Assistant Principal Arrested On Sex Assault Charge
Jacob Meyer, an assistant principal at Sheridan High School, was arrested Monday and remains in police custody on suspicion of sexual assault.
Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2024
Colorado Man Accused Of Stealing Diesel From Wyoming Truck Stop
A Colorado man faces felony charges on suspicion of trying to steal thousands of dollars worth of diesel fuel from a Douglas truck stop by pumping it through holes in a tarp into containers on his semitrailer.
Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2024
Wyoming Joins Lawsuit To Stop New Biden Administration Gun Sales Rule
Wyoming has joined 20 other states in suing over a new Biden administration rule to increase licensing and background checks for people who sell guns.
Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2024
Judy Shepard, Mother Of Matthew Shepard, Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom
Judy Shepard, mother of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard who was tortured and killed in 1998, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday for her LGBTQ advocacy.
Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2024
Judge Says It’s ‘Troubling’ State Can Ignore Teton County Regs To OK Glamping
A judge called it “troubling” Monday that the state of Wyoming can go around Teton County’s land use regulations to temporarily install a glamour camping complex on some of the most expensive land in the nation.
Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2024
Cheyenne Parents Want To Know Why Sexual Identity Survey Kept From Them
A sexual identity survey reportedly made available to Cheyenne high school students, but not made available to parents, prompted an animated turnout of parents, substitute teachers and others at a Laramie County School District 1 board meeting Monday night.
Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2024
BRIEF: Man Accused Of Threatening To Bomb Black Hills Energy Could Get Three Years
A frustrated Black Hills Energy customer in Cheyenne could get three years for telling the company over the phone that “I’m going to blow the building up.”
Clair McFarlandMay 06, 2024
Gillette Man Faces Felony For Trying To Bust Open Bank ATM With Hammer, Prybar
A Gillette man has been elevated to felony-level court for allegedly trying to bust open an ATM at a Douglas bank with a hammer and prybar.
Clair McFarlandMay 06, 2024
Top-10 Wanted Colorado Sex Offender Hid Out In Cheyenne For Four Years
A Colorado child molester who disappeared and rose to No. 8 on that state’s most wanted sex offenders hid out in Cheyenne for four years, and struck a plea agreement with authorities Friday.
Clair McFarlandMay 06, 2024