A year of Chronicle stories across all 50 states

The stories may begin in Lovell, but occasionally they travel a long way.

Some people may think of small-town newspapers as places that live on barn fires, bake sales and the play-by-play of T-ball games. Others assume their reach ends near the county line. The Lovell Chronicle, it turns out, is quietly guilty of something far more ambitious.

Media scholars will soon note that the Lovell Chronicle has, without fanfare or a strategic plan, accomplished something few rural newspapers ever do. Over the past year, through persistence and the occasional distraction, this paper has referenced every state in the nation in its pages.

These mentions arrived without a checklist, appearing naturally in sports stories, historical features, travel notes and community profiles. From Alaska to Florida, Maine to Hawaii, the Chronicle has stitched together a coast-to-coast footprint while remaining firmly rooted in Lovell.

For anyone keeping score, what follows is one Chronicle mention from each state, proof that even a small-town paper can wander far from home without losing its sense of place.

Alabama – Janice Hiser, who passed away in January, lived for a time in Alabama.

Alaska – A commentary on President Trump’s executive order rescinding the Roadless Rule discussed potential impacts on states including Wyoming and Alaska.

Arizona – A Chronicle item suggested Arizona should pay more for Colorado River water in which Wyoming holds legal shares.

Arkansas – Lovell native Phil Wasden was honored at a police chaplains conference in Little Rock, Arkansas.

California – Skye Mader took the RMHS FBLA students to the national convention in Anaheim, California, where they received several honors.

Colorado – An editorial proposed that Wyoming, Utah and Colorado jointly charge Arizona and California more for downstream river water use.

Connecticut – New hospital providers John and Jena Wallace are both originally from Connecticut.

Delaware – Coverage of the passing of JaDee Moncur noted that he had lived in Delaware for a time.

Florida – LHS student Hugh Carpenter was one of 16 Gold Medalists at an FCCLA conference in Orlando, Florida.

Georgia – A Veterans Day article referenced Jack Hessenthaler’s Vietnam War training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Hawaii – A story from 50 years ago recalled Gene Zeller traveling to Hawaii and Japan.

Idaho – A Chronicle item noted that new Rocky Mountain science teacher Kirby Winland is a BYU–Idaho graduate.

Illinois – Mary Jensen’s obituary mentioned that she and her husband Wally worked at the LDS historical sites in Nauvoo, Illinois.

Indiana – The Chronicle marked the passing of Dr. David Hoffman, who was born in Indiana and died in July 2025.

Iowa – New NBHH physician assistant Kaitlyn Davidson is an Iowa State University graduate.

Kansas – A feature on drone use in high school sports noted that Kansas requires drone operators to carry liability insurance.

Kentucky – A Flag Day column explained that Kentucky provided the 15th star when the U.S. flag expanded from 13 to 15 stars.

Louisiana – A music feature highlighted the jazz performances of Jory Woodis in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Maine – New hospital nurse practitioner John Wallace earned his degree from the University of Maine.

Maryland – An August report covered a motorcycle accident involving a Maryland rider in the Big Horn Mountains who has since recovered.

Massachusetts – Dr. Kyle Fink’s laboratory was recognized at a forum in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Michigan – A reflection column addressed the shooting tragedy at an LDS Church in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

Minnesota – Multiple articles followed the search for a missing Minnesota hiker near Cloud Peak whose body was later recovered.

Mississippi – John Thomas Nickel, who passed away in November, played baseball for Mississippi State University.

Missouri – A historical column noted that, in 1812, Native Americans in the Big Horn Basin were living within the Missouri Territory.

Montana – Rep. Dalton Banks discussed concerns about border counties losing sales tax revenue to Montana.

Nebraska – An obituary for former Vice President Dick Cheney noted that he was born in Nebraska.

Nevada -- In March Raeghan Wacker married Jack Ruckel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

New Hampshire – A voting law article discussed New Hampshire’s efforts to require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

New Jersey – Evan Abraham Toner completed U.S. Coast Guard training in New Jersey.

New Mexico – Vanna Camp, who passed away in July, was born in New Mexico.

New York – A state statistics article noted that Wyoming ranks third in veterans per capita, while New York ranks last.

North Carolina – Coverage of the Water of Life Church becoming debt free mentioned the Slabbert family’s move from North Carolina to Wyoming in 2016.

North Dakota – New fire station manager Jesse Piper attended college in North Dakota.

Ohio – David Peck shared a reflection on his grandson’s dinosaur obsession in Ohio.

Oklahoma – A Chronicle item reported that Randy and Karen Peterson served as mission presidents in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Oregon – A World War I profile noted that Joseph Johnson attended college in McMinnville, Oregon, before enlisting.

Pennsylvania – A political article mentioned that Sen. Cynthia Lummis voted to overturn Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results.

Rhode Island – New hospital P.A. Kristin Scott-Tillery earned her degree at Brown University in Rhode Island.

South Carolina – Don Graham’s obituary noted that his family lived in South Carolina before settling in Cowley.

South Dakota – New Rocky Mountain ag teacher and FFA advisor Braden West earned his degree from South Dakota State University.

Tennessee – RMHS graduate Lafe Files is serving a mission in Nashville, Tennessee.

Texas – Beloved Chronicle writer and former LHS volleyball coach Stormy Jameson, who passed away in November, was born in Paris, Texas.

Utah – An editorial titled Binding Our Nation’s Wounds referenced the violent shooting of Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah.

Vermont – A trivia column noted that Vermont is the only state in the country with an official state flavor: maple.

Virginia – Lovell native Ethan McDowell recently filmed the movie “Take From Me” in rural Virginia.

Washington – A Difference Maker article about longtime school teacher Lyman Sibbett mentions that he was born near Spokane, Washington. 

West Virginia – A statistics column noted that West Virginia has the lowest percentage of 25-year-olds with college degrees.

Wisconsin – A School District #1 board report said educators will tour schools in Wisconsin to study project-based learning.

Wyoming – The word Wyoming appears in the Chronicle 427 times, including one particularly humbling reminder that checking the football scores of University of Wyoming legend Josh Allen can be embarrassing.

Taken together, the list is less about geography than it is about the way local news actually works. A high school athlete signs with a college out of state. A veteran carries memories from another place. A family moves here from somewhere else or leaves Lovell for reasons both hopeful and hard. Over time, those stories quietly widen the map. The Lovell Chronicle did not set out to cover the entire country, but in paying close attention to the lives of people who live here, it inevitably brushed up against every corner of it. That may be the most enduring lesson of local journalism: the closer you look at home, the more of the world you tend to see.

For those keeping track, the Chronicle’s reach has not stopped at the United States border. As local stories have unfolded, they have naturally brushed against a wider world. Veterans, exchange students, missionaries, athletes, immigrants, travelers and history itself have all carried other countries into the pages of a small-town paper rooted firmly in the Big Horn Basin. Over time, those references have added up.

Countries mentioned in Lovell Chronicle articles include:

Afghanistan, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Samoa, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe — and several more.