Rich traditions celebrated during Mustang Days

A little bit about this and that as we head into Mustang Days Week.

One of the great things about Mustang Days, which begins Friday, is that the celebration reminds us of the rich traditions that bind our community together. Of special note this year is the Mustang Follies. The annual variety show is celebrating 60 years of production, and the show will celebrate the acts and groups that have been staged throughout the years like the Dollies of the Follies, Rockettes and Bench Dancers.

Also to be honored are the Mustang Days Rose Queens, who were crowned from 1969 through 2004 in an annual pageant, and the music of Rainbow and other singing groups. It’s a festive and nostalgic look back at some of the groups that have made the Follies the highlight of every Mustang Days celebration.

This editor can still remember his first Mustang Follies in 1984, amazed by the talent on stage. We’re not sure very many Wyoming communities our size can stage an annual show of this magnitude, and we appreciate the enthusiasm and work of director Tianne Samson, who lovingly produces the show with the help of Natalie Wardell and others year after year. She is a gem.

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We at the newspaper are pleased to be working with two summer interns this year, thanks to a scholarship we received from the Wyoming Press Association. Lovell High School seniors to be Haley Sanders and Ella Spanier are reporting, writing and shooting photos for us, and we know our readers will enjoy.

We have enjoyed several student writers from LHS over the last couple of years including Whitney Hendershot and Avery Layne, both of whom graduated this spring, and a crop of incoming seniors: Sanders, Spanier, Emily Jensen and Damian Wagner. Chase Crosby will likely be added to the mix this fall, and Rocky Mountain student Charlee Anderson did some writing this school year, as well.

We’ve enjoyed many student writers over the years. Sam Smith carried his student work on to a career in journalism, and he was truly one of the best. Also very fine reporters and writers were Jed Nebel and AJ Montanez.

We appreciate the hard work of our busy student writers and are looking forward to a great summer and school year.

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If you’re reading this Thursday, you likely picked up the paper at a newsstand or newspaper rack. Or you have an E edition. If it’s Friday or later, you had to wait an extra day to receive your paper, along with all U.S. mail, due to the federal Juneteenth holiday.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans at the end of the American Civil War. While we don’t particularly enjoy federal holidays and their effect on our production schedule, we certainly appreciate and honor the rationale behind this holiday.

We urge readers to check out John Bernhisel’s excellent essay on the Juneteenth holiday in the June 12 edition of the Chronicle.

­— David Peck