Wyoming
Clair McFarland: Video Games Should Be Illegal
All I want is for everyone to stop playing video games.
The Wyoming Legislature gavels in next week – let’s make it a law. We’ll draft it so that no scheming 11-year-olds can find a loophole.
“No person, by the use of his fingers, toes or knees, shall operate any device to maneuver any avatar, blob or sprite upon a screen. Violators will clean the litterbox.”
I’m not sure who would carry the bill for me. The Republicans? The … other Republicans? The Democrats who are only there to spot the differences between the two sets of Republicans? The Libertarians hiding out in there, hoping no one realizes they’re not Republicans?
Or maybe they all could carry the bill. Make it bipartisan. Tripartisan. Polypartisan, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Either way, these video games must stop.
“But it’s male bonding time,” says The Husband, who taught the boys to play Super Mario Bros. when they were little and has been paying for it with various console upgrades ever since.
I frown.
“Noooo, this is Wyoming,” I say. “Male bonding time would be going out into those hills and shooting a nice rabbit for dinner stew.”
In walks Middleborn. “Hey Mom, can I have a video game turn?”
“No,” I say.
“But why not?”
“Because I said so.”
His eyes glaze over.
Because-I-said-so is circular reasoning. A thing is what it is because I say that’s what it is. I give no practical or ideological justification. I just crown myself and bark out my own reality.
“So, if I clean my room?”
“Please do clean your room,” I say.
“Then I can have a video game turn?”
“Uh, no.”
Middleborn scrunches his nose. “Well then why would I clean my room?”
I inhale an idle gust. “Because I SAID so.”
Middleborn walks back to his room, bamboozled.
Video games make everyone fussy. The boys clamor obsessively for their turns, willing to stoop to any indignity to win them except cleaning the litter box. Once they’re playing, they often go over their 40-minute time limits.
Junkies.
“Time’s up!” I call out when Firstborn’s turn ends.
“But I just gotta beat this guy – ” he protests.
“No, you must save.”
“I can’t save the game during a boss fight. The console will explode,” says Firstborn.
I look to the other boys for a fact-check. They all nod.
“Yes, please don’t save, we’ll all disintegrate,” says Middleborn, still nodding.
But soon the little, feisty twin realizes that if Firstborn doesn’t save and quit, he won’t have time for his own turn before bedtime.
“Bro, you gotta save,” says Little-Feisty.
“I’m gonna,” says Firstborn, who is not gonna.
“C’mon. NOW,” Little-Feisty counters. His face reddens. Webbed veins bulge on his temples. The fate of the virtual game-o-sphere hangs in the balance, like a loogey not detached.
But Firstborn can’t save his game and quit. The game owns him.
I walk over to hit the “off” button on the console.
“NO DON’T DO THAT!” bellows Firstborn. “OK, OK. I’ll save. I’m saving.” His hefty syllables burst out on hyperventilative blasts.
I scratch my head. “I thought you said the console would explode …”
“I guess that only happens on Tuesdays,” mutters Firstborn.
I also hate video games because they’re useless. They yield nothing of real value.
They’re cheap thrills that rob from us our awe of nature, our attention span, our urge to do great and terrifying things. We expend all our daring in a fake universe, and leave nothing for our own.
I picked up my phone to whine about this to my friend.
“Hang on one second,” she texted back. “I’m just about to beat this level.”
Clair McFarland can be reached at Clair@CowboyStateDaily.com.
Wyoming
Recognizing Conservation Champions: Wyoming Outdoor Hall Of Fame Seeks Nominations
Living the outdoor lifestyle is one of the major attractions of Wyoming for residents. Hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, wildlife, and sightseeing bring millions of people to visit each year. Conservation plays a significant role in keeping those options available for everyone, and it takes many people working together to make that happen.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department relies on those who are passionate about conserving the Wyoming way of life, and there are always those who go above and beyond. That’s why WGFD is now taking nominations for the 2026 class of the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant and lasting lifetime contributions to the conservation of Wyoming’s outdoor heritage. Since 2004, it has recognized individuals who have worked consistently over many years to conserve Wyoming’s natural resources through volunteer service, environmental restoration, educational activities, audio/visual and written media, the arts and political and individual leadership.
Historic names like President Theodore Roosevelt, Curt Gowdy, James H. “Jim” Bridger, and Buffalo Bill Cody are among the names who have been etched into Wyoming history by being inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame.
Could your name be next to those? Absolutely, if you meet the criteria.
The following represents standards for induction into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame. The Selection Committee shall use these standards as a written guide in making inductee selections. but shall not be limited to only these standards:
- Whether the nominee’s contribution was of such a nature as to have statewide, inter-state or national significance;
- Whether the nominee’s contribution affected a wide range of natural resources and their
use; - Whether the nominee’s contributions were made in a manner that will enable them to be
measured in the context of past inductee or nominee contributions, and in the historical
setting of the time in which he or she lived, or lives; - The nominee must have influenced conservation in Wyoming through a sustained and
outstanding contribution during the course of their employment, or through volunteer efforts, in at least one – and preferably several – of the following areas:- Environmental law enforcement
- Applied resource management
- Conservation education
- Conservation policy formation, legislation, and public leadership
- Conservation-oriented research
- Conservation literature, art, or journalism
- Volunteer or paid efforts in the interest of conservation
- If the nominee is a living person, to be considered, they shall be at a stage in their career where their contributions to conservation are undeniable and unlikely to be impugned by any present or future endeavors.
On top of the Hall of Fame nominations, WGFD is looking for nominations for the Wyoming Youth Conservationist of the Year award. This award honors residents 18 and under for their leadership and achievements in conservation.
The nomination process is simple and will be open until March 31.
To nominate someone for the Hall of Fame: HERE is a step-by-step guide.
To nominate someone 18 and younger for the Youth Conservationist of the Year award: HERE is a step-by-step guide.
PHOTOS: Wyoming Outdoor Weekend
Top 25 Wild Mammals That Call Wyoming Home
Wyoming is home to well over 100 mammal species.
Gallery Credit: Getty Images
Wyoming
Wyoming public land housing project spurs debate over land use
Wyoming
January Grind: Week 7 Tips Off the Stretch Run in Wyoming Girls’ Hoops
Week 7 of Wyoming prep girls’ basketball is here. The push towards the postseason begins in the last week of January. Teams continue to focus on conference games, as there are no tournaments for the second straight week. At least one game is on all six days of the competition week. There are a lot of league games, but also several cross-quad and interclass matchups.
WYOPREPS WEEK 7 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 2026
Some schools that are near the border will face an opponent from outside Wyoming. The number of games also varies, as some teams play once, and a few play as many as three times this week. Here is the Week 7 schedule of varsity games WyoPreps has. If you see a game missing, please email david@wyopreps.com. All schedules are subject to change.
Non-Varsity Opponent
Final Score: Burns C 41 1A Guernsey-Sunrise 22
Interclass
Final Score: 3A Lyman 50 2A Kemmerer 17
Final Score: 1A #1 Burlington 65 2A Greybull 29
Out-of-State Opponent
Final Score: Morrill, NE 60 1A Lingle-Ft. Laramie 50
Final Score: Teton (Driggs, ID) 51 4A Jackson 35
Final Score: 1A Saratoga 51 North Park (Walden, CO) 17
Final Score: Harding County, SD, 68 1A #5 Upton 19
Non-Varsity Opponent
Final Score: 1A Arvada-Clearmont 56 Buffalo Freshmen 38
New basketball rankings are available from WyoPreps on Wednesdays.
Class 4A
Final Score: #1 Cheyenne East 56 Cheyenne South 8 (conference game)
Final Score: Cheyenne Central 55 #3 Laramie 47 (conference game)
Class 4A
Riverton at Evanston, 4:30 p.m. (conference game)
#4 Thunder Basin at Campbell County, 6 p.m. (conference game)
Class 3A
#4 Wheatland at Burns, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Powell at #5 Lovell, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 2A
#3 Wyoming Indian at Wind River, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 1A
#3 Southeast at Lingle-Ft. Laramie, 5 p.m. (conference game) [at EWC in Torrington]
St. Stephens at Meeteetse, 5 p.m. (conference game)
Interclass
2A Kemmerer at 3A Mountain View, 5:30 p.m.
Out-of-State Opponent
2A #2 Sundance at Harding County, SD, 5:15 p.m.
2A Big Piney at Rich, UT, 5:30 p.m.
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WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 3 Scores 2025-26
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WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 2 Scores 2025-26
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Class 4A
#2 Green River at Rock Springs, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Campbell County at #5 Sheridan, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Kelly Walsh at Natrona County, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
#1 Cheyenne East at #3 Laramie, 6 p.m. (conference game)
Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne South, 6 p.m. (conference game) [at Storey Gym]
Star Valley at Jackson, 6 p.m. (conference game)
Class 3A
#1 Cody at Worland, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
#3 Lander at #2 Pinedale, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Newcastle at #4 Wheatland, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Buffalo at Powell, 5:30 p.m.
Douglas at Glenrock, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Lyman at Mountain View, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Torrington at Rawlins, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 2A
Moorcroft at #4 Tongue River, 2 p.m.
#1 Big Horn at Wright, 5:30 p.m.
Greybull at Shoshoni, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Thermopolis at Rocky Mountain, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 1A
#5 Upton at Midwest, 2 p.m. (conference game)
#2 Cokeville at Farson-Eden, 3 p.m. (conference game)
Fort Washakie at Saratoga, 4 p.m. (conference game)
Kaycee at Hulett, 5 p.m. (conference game)
#1 Burlington at Riverside, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
#4 Little Snake River at Encampment, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Casper Christian at Arvada-Clearmont, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Interclass
1A #3 Southeast at 2A #5 Pine Bluffs, 5:30 p.m.
Class 4A
#5 Sheridan at #4 Thunder Basin, 3:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 3A
Rawlins at Newcastle, 2:30 p.m. (conference game)
Worland at Buffalo, 3 p.m.
Douglas at Burns, 3:30 p.m. (conference game)
Glenrock at Torrington, 4:30 p.m. (conference game)
Class 2A
#1 Big Horn at Rocky Mountain, 1:30 p.m.
#4 Tongue River at Greybull, 2:30 p.m.
Wright at Moorcroft, 2:30 p.m.
Class 1A
Fort Washakie at Encampment, noon (conference game)
H.E.M. at Casper Christian, noon
Meeteetse at Dubois, 1 p.m. (conference game)
Rock River at Midwest, 1 p.m.
Riverside at St. Stephens, 1:30 p.m. (conference game)
Kaycee at #5 Upton, 3 p.m. (conference game)
Interclass
2A Wind River at 1A Saratoga, 1:30 p.m.
1A Lingle-Ft. Laramie at 2A #5 Pine Bluffs, 2:30 p.m.
2A Thermopolis at 3A #5 Lovell, 4 p.m.
Out-of-State Opponent
Grace, ID at 1A #2 Cokeville, 2:30 p.m.
Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026
Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw
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