2020 Year in Photos
Thunder Basin High School student Kaitlynn McKinsey turned 18 just two weeks before the 2020 election, and will cast her first ballot in an election this year.
Surrounded by signs of support in the form of colorful hearts, a worker at Campbell County Memorial Hospital takes a brief moment to watch light snow fall Thursday outside the hospital. Earlier this week, Gov. Mark Gordon asked for the Cowboy State to remain patient and vigilant in its fight against COVID-19 as the surge is still expected to be a few weeks away.
Granville Young, 6, looks for a crayon as he blows a bubble during a home schooling lesson Thursday. Granville gave up the gum later to play the flute, but made sure to tell his mother, “Don’t throw it away.”
Jeremy Storm soars off a wooden ramp while skating at Half Pipe Alley with friends Tuesday afternoon. The park was reopened earlier in the day after vandalism involving graffiti was removed.
Brandon Guffey looks over his progress while carving a fireplace with flames at the Ice Carving Competition Saturday at 3rd Street Plaza.
David Ocampo says a prayer for Gillette Police Department Cpl. Steve Dillard and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement around the country during this difficult time at Lasting Legacy Park on Tuesday evening. "It's good to feel the support from friends and the community," Dillard said.
As kids return from the holiday break to school at Paintbrush Elementary some make their way to the playground while others wait by the wall for the bell to ring on Monday.
Jim Konyn waves an American flag outside the Campbell County Courthouse as an anti-mask protest gathered Thursday evening.
Russian performers with the Rotary Children's Fund show the kids of Rawhide Elementary some traditional Russian folk dancing on Monday.
Dalton Dolphay, 6, enjoys the ride while Gillette Police Department officer Ven Hoang pushes the youngster through Walmart during Shop With A Cop on Saturday morning.
Campbell County Memorial Hospital paramedic Jason Budd, at left, administers the first COVID-19 vaccine in Campbell County to emergency medicine physician Dr. Deanna Lassegard, at the hospital Thursday morning.
Law enforcement pit their bicycles between the "All Lives Matter" protesters and the "Black Lives Matter" protesters as tensions rise following more than four miles of marching around Gillette Thursday.
A trio of pronghorn break into a stride after feasting on some grass as they realize the bell has rung at Pronghorn Elementary on Thursday.
A man talks on his phone as smoke from a structure fire behind him fills the air on Sunday night.
Gene, who declined to provide his last name, left, tells a Walmart employee manning the store’s front entrance tent why he won’t shop there Thursday morning after being informed he must have his face covered to go inside. “I did not refuse to wear a mask,” he said. “If they require me to wear a mask, they should provide it. I’ll shop elsewhere.”
Kids arrive at Rawhide Elementary under the rising sun Thursday.
Snow streams out amidst the rising morning sun as Randy Sveningson clears the snow from his neighbor’s driveway on Tuesday morning. “I’ve got nothing better to do,” Sveningson said with a laugh of why he’s helping his neighbor.
Volunteers place flags on veteran grave markers at Mount Pisgah Cemetery early Wednesday morning in observance of Veterans Day.
Geovani Vazquez gets some air as Dayton Barnette takes video of his jump over a trash can at Overlook Park on Thursday evening.
Marty Rivers kisses his wife Peggy Rivers while staying warm by the fire at the Big Lost Meadery 3rd annual Street Curling Day on Saturday.
Doug Hinshaw provides treats for the hungry dogs at Cam-plex park during an afternoon walk on Wednesday. Hinshaw was walking two dogs of his own, who were quickly joined by three more as they rounded a corner at the park.
Victoria Ward, 9, gives her grandmother and 4T Pawn owner Felicia Toth a hug behind the store counter after rushing out of the store’s back office for a visit Saturday afternoon.
Michael Just carries flowers from Spring Creek Designs to Twin Spruce Jr. High on Thursday morning for delivery for Valentine's Day.
Deb Schomer shovels snow off her driveway on Wednesday morning. Schomer and her husband recently moved back to Gillette to be near family after living 25 years in Nevada.
Alex Nelson, 17, of Worden, Montana readies his rigging for the bareback riding behind the chutes at Morningside Park Thursday during the Ranch Rodeo.
Dylan Coleman, 16, above left, plays the role of Adam and acts out the death that will come from eating the biblical forbidden fruit as Alexis Bryan, 18, plays Eve during a practice of their speech and debate performance piece “The Diary of Adam and Eve” at Thunder Basin High School on Tuesday. The Bolts will travel to a national qualifying tournament this weekend.
Physician Molly McColley places one of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines on the table as health officials prepare to administer the vaccine for the first time at Campbell County Memorial Hospital Thursday morning.
Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center resident Lynda Johnson jokingly holds a sign, reading, "Help Me" as residents line the balcony for Wednesday's parade.
Emily Teigen and others practice their roping skills in preparation of the dummy team roping event at the youth rodeo which kicked off a week of Campbell County Fair activities Saturday morning.
Senior graduates and family members are spaced six feet apart to meet social distancing requirements during graduation at Thunder Basin High School Saturday.
James Doan, 16, from left, Cooper Stevens and Tanner Gladson pose with their remote signaling devices at Campbell County High School on Thursday. The three, along with Daniel Marasco and Gina Hitt, won the 2020 regional high school Science Bowl.
Korlyn Slattery gives her horses some attention before heading to the Wranger Arena at Cam-pledx to compete at the Betty Hough Memorial Youth Rodeo on Saturday morning.
Parade attendees joyfully greet loved ones during the parade at Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center Wednesday.
Irene Hubbard sits behind a birthday cake while posing for a portrait Thursday. Hubbard is looking forward to a family gathering Saturday to celebrate her 88th birthday, which according to the calendar will be her 22nd true birthday as Hubbard is a “leapling,” one of the few each leap year born Feb. 29.
Election judges Kim Karren, from left, Cheryl Benedict and Kay Praska react to Luke Grondin, 16 months, as he walks around the polling booths at the Wyoming Center on Tuesday evening during the primary election.
Carleigh Clifton holds her daughter Leah, 6, after receiving ash on their foreheads for Ash Wednesday at St. Matthews Catholic Church.
Brody Olsen, 4, lets Oobleck, a mixture of corn starch and water that creates a slime-like substance, fall from his fingertips at the Children's Festival at Cam-plex on Saturday.
Attendees of the Powder River Antique & Crafts Bonanza enter Energy Hall at Cam-plex Saturday as heavy snow and wind cause whiteout conditions.
A boy plays basketball at the Campbell County Recreation Center in March before the coronavirus shut down most public places in the state.
Tears stream down the face of Mallory Locket, 17, as she thanks Wes Johnson for speaking out in support of students who have been bullied because of their sexual orientation and against school board trustee Linda Bricker’s posts on social media. Johnson, a Campbell County High School graduate, spoke at the school board meeting Tuesday about experiencing bullying when he attended the school and that he didn’t come out until he was 28 as a result of being bullied.
Bo Pirtz holds his hair back in order for Boys and Girls Club Youth Development Staff member Tanner Watson, left, to take his temperature after lunchtime at the club Thursday afternoon.
District Judge John R. Perry congratulates Elena Beristain while presenting the new U.S. citizen her Certificate of Naturalization at a naturalization ceremony Tuesday in Gillette. Ten people became new United States citizens at the ceremony.
Zuri Marsh, 6, runs back through the ribbons of her butterfly kite as her aunt Ashley Martinez attempts to get it off the ground and into the air Tuesday at Sage Bluffs Park. After a spring-like warm-up Tuesday, another taste of winter is expected tonight and Thursday.
Attendees view a presentation at Saturday’s public hearing for an application to break Gillette College out from the Northern Wyoming Community College District.
Olin Johnson, 2, has his chocolate chip biscuit unexpectedly snagged by one of Mike and Barb Shober’s chickens at their farm near Rozet. Although a little annoyed with the sneaky snack attack, Olin didn’t let it ruin his afternoon of playing. Gillette City Council will discuss allowing people in city limits to keep chickens at a future workshop.
Boomer, a boxer at Pat's Drive Thru Liquor, checks if he can help the customer at the drive thru on Thursday.
The COVID-19 ward of Campbell County Memorial Hospital is draped off and only accessible to medical personnel donned in all the necessary PPE.
Erica Schumacher adds cheese to sandwiches for lunches Monday morning at Stocktrail Elementary. As the Campbell County School District schools remain closed, families can pick up meals children normally would have while attending school.
Don Inman carries an anti-mask sign across Gillette Avenue toward the Campbell County Courthouse Thursday evening for an anti-mask protest.
Hazel Young, 12, reads “George Washington Carver: From Slave to Scientist” as her brother August Young, 4, runs back and forth across the house with a plastic sword while they home-school Thursday. Hazel is a sixth grader while August does preschool lessons.
Students hoist an American flag high in the air while marching on East 2nd Street for the Veterans Day parade Wednesday.
Campbell County High School seniors Chloe Davis, left, and McKenzie Kannapel enjoy the view of Camels Stadium from the roofs of their cars Friday night.
A firefighter walks along a burning ridge at the Horse Creek Butte Fire north of Gillette Thursday morning as crews work to maintain the remaining pockets of fire from the grass fire that began Wednesday afternoon.
News Record File Photo/Mike Moore
Campbell County High School senior Breckyn Percifield bought her prom dress in January prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down much of Gillette and the United States. Public schools in Wyoming have been closed for the rest of the spring term and prom is one of the activites that were canceled.
Hayden Lynch, 13, fishes on the banks of the Gillette Fishing Lake as the sun begins to set on Tuesday.
A great blue heron stands on the banks of the Gillette Fishing lake after skewering a fish with his beak. After bobbing his head a few times the heron was able to slip the fish off his beak, catch it in his mouth and swallow it hole.
Jim Konyn hoists an American flag outside the Campbell County Courthouse Thursday evening as community members gathered for an anti-mask protest after state-mandated mask orders were given by Gov. Mark Gordon.
Ruedene Kyle lovingly touches the face of husband Lyle Kyle, both 94, in their Gillette home Monday afternoon. Monday is the couple’s 75th wedding anniversary — known as the diamond anniversary — and are as in love with each other now as they were when they wed.
Patriotic hues of red, white and blue fill the night sky as spectators watch the annual fireworks show at Morningside Park as Fourth of July festivities come to a close Saturday.
Gillette Mayor Louise Carter-King looks over the city from her office window on the third floor of City Hall on Wednesday afternoon.
Kayla Lusch, left, wipes her eye while standing with Rocky Benson outside an Ariel Avenue apartment that caught fire Wednesday afternoon. The couple ran over and Benson climbed up to a second story deck to help put down the flames after seeing smoke from across the parking lot.
Jennifer Pitter, from left, Angel Prieto and Jesus Olivas wait for people to arrive at a food distribution at the Rockpile Community Center parking lot Thursday.
Gypsy Soul Salon owner Jade Novotny prepares curtains to hang between stylist stations at her salon in attempt to meet standards to safely open her business back up to the public May 12. "It may look like a science experiment," Novotny said of the numerous curtains being installed. "But I assure you, it's quality."
Ian Schofield of the Civil Air Patrol places a wreath on a veteran’s grave during Saturday morning’s Wreaths Across America event at Mount Pisgah Cemetery.
Makayla Yelenich, from left, looks at Kaycee Kline as Garrett Heusinkneld and Taylor Willard wait to be seated at Prime Rib on Friday evening as restaurants are allowed to open back up.
Aaleeah Lazarus, 4, holds up flowers as she shops for plants with her mother Jenifer Lazarus and brother Brantley Lazarus, 5, at Landon's Greenhouse on Friday.
Campbell County High School senior yearbook editor Moriah Engdahl, left, reacts to seeing the 2019-20 edition of the school’s yearbook for the first time as journalism instructor Claire Carter hands her a copy at Carter’s home.
New Area 59 director Andrew Morrison said he was blown away when he toured Gillette technology maker space, saying the equipment there surpasses most machine shops.
News Record File Photo/Mike Moore
Randy Greer stands outside his home in Campbell County. He, his son Jack Greer and Josh Allison of Cody have formed 307 Horse Racing, which will bring live horse racing to Morningside Park.
Gladys Lang, middle, signs an autograph for a fellow resident at her 100th Birthday party on Thursday afternoon at the Lasting Legacy.
Paramedic Kim Dunlap, at left, hugs Advanced EMT Whitney Witherspoon after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at Campbell County Memorial Hospital Thursday morning.
Keylee McKown, 7, can’t stop herself from laughing as Macie Pilcher, 9, pours dried corn on her at one of Matt Walker’s urban farms Saturday.
As protesters raised their arms in unison, one protester opted to form the shape of a heart with their hands while looking toward “All Lives Matter” counter protesters.
Valedictorian Arleth Rodrigues points up to the stands as she proudly leaves the stage after receiving her diploma Saturday morning at the Campbell County High School graduation.
A shopper watches the sun rise over the horizon while heading to their vehicle after shopping for Black Friday at Menards Friday.
Kodi Lybarger, left, and Trey Boegele were among dozens of residents who were a part of numerous protests outside of City Hall in 2020.
Artina Gohner, 98, shakes a maraca as her family members shout from the street up to her on a balcony at The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center during a parade for residents Wednesday.
As Sen. Mike Enzi comes to the end of a 24-year run representing Wyoming in the U.S. Senate, Wyoming and Campbell County will lose one of the most experienced and respected voices in Congress.
That’s because the four-time senator doesn’t pander to public opinion, enjoy the spotlight or give many sound bites for the press corps clamoring for a quote, said his counterpart, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming. It’s also not a secret that Enzi would rather be hunting or fishing around the Cowboy State than politicking in Washington, D.C.
His humble, get-the-job-done attitude helped Enzi become a strong voice for Wyoming, Barrasso said.
“Gillette and Campbell County could not have asked for a better advocate in the Senate than Mike Enzi,” he said about Enzi being named one of the News Record’s Ten Who Made a Difference for 2020. “Whether it was his time as a Wyoming small-business owner, mayor of Gillette, state legislator or in his role as a U.S. senator, Mike always put the people of Wyoming first.”
His impact can be found in the Congressional Record, which shows more than 100 of his bills became law. One of the most important and high-profile came when he chaired the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and punched through a bill to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in Abandoned Mine Land money owed to Wyoming and other states.
While states are supposed to receive back half of the 35 cents per ton coal producers are taxed federally, that wasn’t happening. For Wyoming, which mines more coal than all the other coal-producing states, that added up to about $700 million.
Enzi said that when he became chairman over a four-committee conference to reform pension law, other legislators told him he wouldn’t be able to pass an AML bill. When the leaders in the Senate came to him and said they were going to tack on some of their bills because the pensions law had to pass, he mentioned he’d add the Abandoned Mine Land money to it.
“I’d been trying to get money for AML and had been told it can’t be done,” Enzi said. “So, if you’re going to put your bills on there, I’m going to put mine on there.
“They said, ‘Oh, no, no, that’s not how it works.’”
That’s when Enzi said he got some help from an unexpected ally, Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy.
“Sen. Kennedy said, ‘No, Mike. You’re the chairman. You can do what you want.’ So I put it on there and it passed along with the other stuff,” Enzi said. “That’s how we started getting the AML money. We’ve had to defend it every year, because everybody wants it.”
That fight for fiscal responsibility went beyond getting AML payments back to states. For 14 years, Enzi was the only accountant in the Senate, and in 2015 became chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He’s also repeatedly tried to pass a balanced budget bill.
In 2014, he was one of the voices to speak out against a Barack Obama administration plan to increase the federal debt limit to avoid a government shutdown. Enzi said that it didn’t make sense to simply increase the debt limit without also having a plan to bring it back down or repay the debt.
His plan, also known as the “penny plan,” called for a 1% across-the-board budget cut annually for seven years.
“I told them no plan, no vote,” he said. “I really do expect they ought to be able to come up with a plan. It doesn’t have to be my plan, but there’s no plan out there.”
For Campbell County and Gillette residents, Enzi’s service goes back much farther than his time in the U.S. Senate. A small-business owner — he operated Enzi Shoes in Gillette and two other locations — he ran for Gillette mayor at the urging of then-Sen. Alan Simpson. He helped guide the city through a painful boom time, then was a leading voice in the state Legislature.
Through it all, he said he was never comfortable with a spotlight, preferring instead to work behind the scenes and get things done.
But when he chaired that high-profile conference, Enzi recalled the one time he was hounded by the national press.
“Everyplace I went I was followed by the media,” he said. “They never did get the fact that I never negotiated through the media. That’s how you get locked into things. I was never followed like that before or since.”
One time during that crunch, Enzi said he was approached as he came out of a room and into the hallway.
“What did you decide in there?” Enzi remembers being asked.
“I didn’t decide anything,” he responded. “That’s the bathroom!”
A shopper puts on a mask upon his arrival at Walmart on Thursday morning before entering the retail outlet.
Zach Johnson, 10, jumps into the air while performing some dance moves during a Roblox gaming day at the Campbell County Library teen room on Friday.
Lane Stuwe of Hoven, South Dakota tapes up his arms in preparation for bareback riding in the 12-14 age group prior to the start of the Ranch Rodeo at Cam-plex Thursday evening.
Kristen McCargish dances along to the music of the Boy Band Review show at Cam-plex on Thursday night.
Former Gillette Municipal Court Judge Doug Dumbrill raises is voice to the audience at Tuesday evening's City Council meeting.
Brittany Estes and Steven Reile laugh at "Ziggy," a Boston Terrier/Pug mix who had about enough of the hot August weather during the Razor City Rumble Demolition Derby at Cam-plex last Saturday. Temperatures will depart the 90s starting this coming Sunday, as the forecast is calling for more comfortable highs in the mid to upper 70s.
Cedar Zdziarski, 2, plays with toy horses, cows and tractors while father Jeffery Zdziarski, far left, and Garrett Ford watch the drivers meeting from the stands during the Snowmobile Grass Drags at Cam-plex Sunday.
Dr. Michael Nolledo receives a COVID-19 vaccine at Campbell County Memorial Hospital the first day they were available for hospital staff Dec. 17.
Fans watch Thunder Basin High School take on Cheyenne South from the top of the stands Friday evening as the sun set against a passing storm.
Dominic Palazzari, 12, has a ribbon tied in his hair as runners with Sage Valley Junior High’s cross-country team wait for the Memory of the 8 Run and Walk race to begin.
Campbell County Sheriff's Office deputy Dan Provost hugs Gracie Webb, 13, after she finished the 1K bike ride at Bicentennial Park during the Campbell County Special Olympics Friday morning.
Members of the Campbell County High School swim team spray parade attendees with water as they dance down Gillette Avenue for Wednesday’s homecoming parade.
Longtime friends Larry Archer, left, and Denise Willert embrace in front of The Office Saloon as bar patrons protest Gov. Mark Gordon’s public health orders that restrict bars and restaurants. The group of bar patrons are upset with how some businesses are required to remain closed after more than a month has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic began while others are reopening.
The Campbell County High School Camel has been repainted in tribute to famed rock musician Eddie Van Halen, who died Oct. 6.
Campbell County Hospital med tech Tammi Fortuna prepares COVID-19 tests from patients to determine whether they are positive for the novel coronavirus Thursday morning. Most of her day revolves around testing for coronavirus during a spike in positive cases in the county.
Jack and Susan Clary watch the ongoing presidential election coverage from their living room Thursday afternoon in Gillette. The couple say they are skeptical of the validity surrounding mail-in ballots and how they could skew the election’s results.
Jennifer Brodie has gone through some rough patches in her life, but after struggles with addiction and the legal system, she’s now sober and motivated to help others who are facing some of the same demons she has. Here, she holds a photograph of herself in the orange jumpsuit she wore in prison. One of the places she found help was Personal Frontiers, which is one of many local nonprofit agencies that are facing financial and logistical obstacles from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public health response coordinator Randy Bury heads outside to conduct a COVID-19 oral test in the parking lot of Campbell County Public Health Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.
Campbell County Recreation Center members walk around the indoor track Wednesday morning. As the county’s assessed valuation continues to drop, departments are being asked to tighten their belts more this next fiscal year.
Sage Valley Junior High daytime custodian Maria Molina wipes down student stations in the cafeteria following a lunch period Wednesday. A trio of custodians and sanitizers who work at the school have only about 5 minutes to clean before the next wave of students comes and sits down to eat.
High school robotics teams from around the region face each other in competition with their self-built and programmed robots. The test includes having the robots move blocks around designated areas and obstacles.
Melissa Cogan, general manager of Gillette Theatres poses for a portrait in the theatre Dec. 10. With movie releases heading straight to HBO Max starting in 2021, Cogan is concerned worried about the theater’s survival.
Connor Costello clings to his sheep as his body bounces around at high speeds during the mutton bustin' portion of the Campbell County Fair Ranch Rodeo at Morningside Park Thursday evening.
Medical staff wait in line for COVID-19 vaccines at Campbell County Memorial Hospital earlier this month. The pandemic and it’s impacts on local lives was the driving force behind much of what made news in 2020.
Aislynn Schwab, 11, center, wraps up Emily Diaz, 11, left, and Piper VanLitsenborgh, 11, in her arms as they attempt to stay warm amidst heavy winds as their teachers prepare the black snake science experiment at Rawhide Elementary on Monday.