Wyoming
After five years archiving Wyoming history, library specialist fired in latest DOGE cuts – WyoFile
History jobs aren’t easy to come by. So when a position for a digital archivist opened at the University of Wyoming in 2020, Rachael Laing uprooted their life near Chicago for small-town Laramie.
Laing, who has a master’s degree in history, has spent the last five years undertaking a project to digitize hundreds of thousands of historic Wyoming newspaper microfilm pages and make them free to the public.
The project is part of National Digital Newspaper Program, a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress to create a searchable online database of newspapers. Laing and other archivists contributed files to Chronicling America, which is now home to millions of pages of American newspapers published between 1789-1963. Laing’s position was seeded by a $209,000 grant from the Humanities Endowment.
The UW Libraries grant has been renewed in the five years since, paying for Laing to facilitate the total addition of nearly 300,000 pages of Wyoming newspapers to the database.
Last week, however, the grant was terminated as part of significant cuts made to the National Endowment for the Humanities by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
And Laing was abruptly out of a job.
Though Laing’s own life and career have been disrupted by the sudden firing, the archivist is more concerned about the fate of the project.
“I liked that the work seemed important,” said Laing, who uses they/them pronouns. “It felt like we were creating something that was going to be very helpful to a lot of people.”
The project is among the latest Wyoming casualties of DOGE, which Trump champions as a voter-backed effort to reduce federal bureaucracy and expenditures. DOGE cuts have resulted in an array of Wyoming impacts — from U.S. Forest Service employees losing their jobs in Jackson to federal office closures in Cheyenne and sudden funding cuts for organizations like Wyoming Humanities.
For Laing, it all happened incredibly fast, and they are still reeling. They are also saddened to think about the scope of programming nationwide that was axed without preamble.
“I’m just really disappointed that suddenly this federal agency that was dispersing grants to really amazing projects was just … washed away,” Laing said.
Frozen, aborted
Last week’s cuts targeted two federal agencies, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Studies. Actions included placing staff on administrative leave and cancelling grants, according to reports.
The National Endowment for the Humanities was founded in 1965, under the same legislation that enacted the more well-known National Endowment for the Arts. The Humanities Endowment has awarded more than $6 billion in grants to museums, historical sites, universities, libraries and other organizations, according to its website.
A significant piece of the Humanities Endowment’s overall funding, 40%, goes to state humanities councils like Wyoming’s. Those councils act as umbrellas, partnering with other organizations to support cultural events or awarding grants to projects. Humanities councils in all 50 states received notice last week that their grants were being terminated, according to reports.
“Your grant no longer effectuates the agency’s needs and priorities and conditions of the Grant Agreement and is subject to termination due to several reasonable causes,” read the letter that Wyoming Humanities received, adding “the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.”
NEH funding makes up 80% of Wyoming Humanities’ budget, covering staff expenses, travel, marketing and other operational costs for the nonprofit. Staff is reconsidering the group’s future in the wake of the change.
Along with state councils, the Humanities Endowment funds individual projects in Wyoming. These include a recent grant to Meeteetse Museums to replace its roof and install solar panels and another grant to the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum to update Indigenous interpretation. Both were terminated, according to museum directors.
The federal agency also funded the UW Libraries grant. Laing’s first indication of trouble happened early Thursday, they said, when a person connected to a similar project in Florida contacted them asking if they knew what was going on. All that day, Laing heard grim updates from across the country from people who had been notified of cancelled grants.
“So it was kind of like watching the dominoes fall, and I was just sort of waiting to get the news,” Laing said. Their supervisor delivered that news on Friday. “My job had just been dissolved.”
Keeping history alive
Laing has spent much of the past five years in a windowless basement office, painstakingly digitizing microfilm newspapers for the project. It’s quiet work, and it suits them.
Laing gathered microfilmed newspapers from the Wyoming State Archive and worked with vendors to digitize and format the files. The result is that issues of newspapers such as the Platte Valley Lyre, Cody Enterprise and Cheyenne Daily Leader are now on the database. They reach back to 1873, when in a June issue the Daily Leader announced Byer’s Hotel and French Restaurant in Cheyenne was back open following a remodel, and that in Chicago, railroad executive Horace Clark had fallen ill.
With interest in genealogical research growing, Chronicling America eases access for amateur historians who no longer have to visit these libraries in person to scan microfilm records, Laing said.
During each two-year grant cycle, Laing endeavored to digitize 100,000 pages. The project was nearing the end of its third grant cycle, with about 10,000 pages remaining to satisfy the goal, they said.
Laing was actually planning to move on from the job at the end of the year. That fact may take some of the sting out of the loss, but still, they said, “there’s never a good time to lose your job.”
Since the termination notice arrived, Laing’s supervisors have been trying to come up with a plan and have been very supportive, they said. Laing and others are worried about the integrity of the collective work in the long run.
“For a long time, we thought that we were building something that was going to last,” Laing said, “and now for the last couple of days, we’ve been accounting for all of that data, just in case all of that work is lost.”
Other impacts
It has been less clear how cuts to the second federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will affect Wyoming. WyoFile requested an interview with State Librarian Abby Beaver and had not heard back by publication time. But in an open letter on its website, the Wyoming Library Association said IMLS funds are granted to the Wyoming State Library and pay for a statewide database, staff development and training opportunities.
Last year, 633 nationwide grant recipients entered into legally binding agreements with IMLS, according to library advocacy group Every Library. “The sudden termination of these grants not only breaches these agreements but also undermines the essential services that libraries and museums provide to communities across the nation,” the organization said in a statement accompanying a petition. The petition oppose the “unlawful” actions.
The National Humanities Alliance, meanwhile, rallied against the Humanities Endowment cuts.
“We condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms,” the coalition of cultural advocacy groups said in a statement. “Cutting NEH funding directly harms communities in every state and contributes to the destruction of our shared cultural heritage.”
For Laing, the prevailing feeling is disappointment. They brought up a recent talk they gave to a Wyoming historical society, where members kept Laing and their supervisor late with questions.
“They seemed really excited about the potential of the project,” Laing said, “and to know that that’s just something that might completely go away seems like a lot of wasted time and effort.”
It all comes down to this. It is Week 8 of high school football in Wyoming, which means the playoff brackets will be decided by Saturday afternoon. Playoff berths and seeds will be on the line this week, but some teams are already locked in. Games will be played on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Five teams are on the field on Thursday. Friday features 27 games on the schedule. Three six-man games will be on Saturday. All but three of the matchups are conference games. Four will have ranked teams playing each other, which includes a No. 1 versus No. 2 game in Encampment on Saturday between the top-ranked Rattlers and second-ranked Tigers in six-man football. This is our Week 8 football scoreboard. WyoPreps will post the game scores below.
WYOPREPS WEEK 8 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2025
Sixteen games on the schedule will impact seeding and/or playoff berths.
Next to certain games, you will find a link where you can listen to or watch football games from local broadcasters in Wyoming. These links are provided as a courtesy. If we’re missing a local broadcast link, you can email david@wyopreps.com. Here is the Week 8 schedule for the gridiron.
Class 4A
Final Score: Thunder Basin 55 Cheyenne South 6 – Bolts clinch the No. 6 seed in the 4A playoffs.
Class 1A 9-man
Final Score: #2 Greybull 94 Wyoming Indian 12
Class 1A 6-man
Final Score: Riverside 28 Meeteetse 22 – OT – Rebels get the No. 3 seed, and the Longhorns will be the No. 4 seed.
Out-of-State Opponent
Final Score: 1A 6-man #4 Hulett 1 Edgemont, SD 0 – forfeit win
Read More Football News From WyoPreps
WyoPreps Football Playoff Scenarios 2025
WyoPreps Football Rankings 10-22-25
WyoPreps Football Standings 10-19-25
WyoPreps Week 7 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 6 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 5 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 4 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 3 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 2 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 1 Football Scoreboard 2025
WyoPreps Week 0 Football Scoreboard 2025
Class 4A
Laramie at #1 Sheridan, 6 p.m. – Sheridan Media Watch Live
#3 Campbell County at #2 Cheyenne East, 6 p.m. – KFBC Watch Live or KAML Watch Live
#5 Natrona County at #4 Cheyenne Central, 6 p.m. – KRAE Watch Live
Kelly Walsh at Rock Springs, 6 p.m. – TRN Watch Live
Class 3A
#5 Jackson at #2 Cody, 5 p.m. – KODI Listen Live or KZJH Watch Live
#1 Star Valley at Green River, 6 p.m. – TRN Watch Live or SVI Media Watch Live
Rawlins at #3 Riverton, 6 p.m. – County 10 Watch Live or WyoToday Watch Live
#4 Lander at Buffalo, 6 p.m. – 307Buffalo.com Listen Live or County 10 Watch Live or WyoToday Watch Live
Douglas at Torrington, 6 p.m. – KGOS Watch Live or KKTY Listen Live
Evanston at Powell, 6 p.m. – KPOW Listen Live or Mylocalradio.com Watch Live
Class 2A
#5 Lovell at Cokeville, noon
#2 Mountain View at Lyman, 1 p.m. – Mylocalradio.com Watch Live
Worland at Kemmerer, 5 p.m. – SVI Listen Live
Upton-Sundance at #1 Big Horn, 6 p.m.
Pinedale at #3 Thermopolis, 6 p.m. – WyoToday Watch Live
Wheatland at #4 Newcastle, 6 p.m. – KASL Listen Live or KZEW Listen Live
Burns at Moorcroft, 6 p.m.
Tongue River at Glenrock, 6 p.m.
Class 1A 9-man
#1 Pine Bluffs at Southeast, 6 p.m. – KERM Listen Live
#3 Big Piney at Shoshoni, 6 p.m.
Wind River at #4 Rocky Mountain, 6 p.m.
#5 Lingle-Ft. Laramie at Saratoga, 6 p.m.
Wright at Lusk, 6 p.m.
Class 1A 6-man
Guernsey-Sunrise at H.E.M., 1 p.m. – does not count in the standings, per WHSAA.
Ten Sleep at Kaycee, 1 p.m.
Midwest at #3 Burlington, 2 p.m.
Class 1A 6-man
#1 Little Snake River at #2 Encampment, noon
Dubois at #5 Casper Christian, 1 p.m. (at NCHS)
Non-Varsity Opponent
1A 6-man Farson-Eden at Rock Springs JV, 4 p.m.
Campbell County vs. Thunder Basin Football Game 10-10-25
The Camels held off the crosstown rival Bolts, 17-14, on October 10, 2025.
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Eric Barber
A Celebration of Life for Kenneth “Ken” Nyberg will be held on Friday, October 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Big Horn County Fairgrounds in Basin, Wyoming.
Ken passed away on October 11, 2025, at Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana, after a long and courageous battle with a rare autoimmune lung disease related to Agent Orange exposure.
Ken was born in Springfield, Minnesota, and raised in Lamberton, Minnesota. His parents, Laurel and Pat Nyberg, owned and operated the Lamberton Hatchery, where Ken and his four siblings learned early the values of love, hard work, and family.
After graduating high school, Ken was drafted into the U.S. Army and proudly served in Vietnam. After his honorable discharge and upon returning home, he attended college in Mankato, Minnesota.
In 1977, Ken moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, where he met Kathy (Kas) and her three sons. The couple married on May 27, 1978, and later moved to Craig, Colorado, where they raised their family. Together, Ken and Kas began fostering children and eventually opened a group home for at-risk teens-a calling that became the work of their hearts. Their shared love for helping others and working side by side was truly extraordinary.
In 1989, they moved to Escalante, Utah, where they served as primary counselors at Turn-About Ranch, once again dedicating their lives to guiding and supporting teens. In 1994, Ken and Kas settled in Basin, Wyoming, where they managed the local boys’ group home until their retirement.
Beyond his work, Ken had a deep love for the outdoors-fishing, hunting, camping, and working on their place in Manderson, Wyoming. He had a special gift for including “the kids” in his hobbies and projects, making every experience both a lesson and an adventure.
Ken is survived by his wife Kas; three sons: Kraig Nyberg of Basin, Kevin (Brigette) Nyberg of Ocklawaha, Florida, and Ken Nyberg of Thornton, Colorado; his brother Dave (Ann) Nyberg of Cheyenne, Wyoming; sister Sandy of Dacono, Colorado; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Laurel and Pat Nyberg, brother Randy Nyberg, and sister Judy Lehne.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the ASPCA or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Ken’s memory. Arrangements have been entrusted to Atwood Family Funeral Directors.
JACKSON, Wyo. — PBS Books is taking a virtual road trip across the country, and an episode about Wyoming literature will be released on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
The journey seeks to celebrate and highlight iconic authors, stories, bookstores and real-life locations that inspired unforgettable works. The series is diving into different corners of the U.S. to find out how each location has left its mark on the bookshelves of the nation’s readers.
The Wyoming episode of “American Stories: A Reading Road Trip” will air at 8 p.m. on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, the PBS Books Facebook page and the PBS app. All installments are available to watch on the PBS Books website after they premiere.
“Aligned with America’s 250th birthday, each episode invites viewers to explore the heart, history and creative spirit of the United States — all through the lens of books and storytelling,” reads the description of the series.
Amy Ryan, owner of local mainstay Valley Bookstore, discussed the importance of Wyoming literature and authors with Buckrail.
“I think a lot of people would be surprised to find out that Wyoming is actually a very literary state,” said Ryan. “We have authors like Jack Turner, who [lives] here. We had Margaret Murie, who’s written a couple classics, and we have writers who are still active.”
The episode will focus on the scenery that influenced Ernest Hemingway’s “Death in the Afternoon”; the dawn of the Western genre through Owen Wister’s novel “The Virginian”; and modern authors like well-known mystery writers Craig Johnson and C.J. Box. The show will also visit the Toppan Rare Books Library at the University of Wyoming.
Ryan highlighted some Wyoming creators who might not have world fame, but have influenced the literary landscape just the same. Authors like Alexandra Fuller, Tim Sandlin, Grant Golliher and Bridget Crocker have drawn inspiration from Wyoming’s backdrop and communities.
A Murie Ranch Front Porch conversation on Tuesday, Oct. 21, presented Crocker as she talked about her recent book “The River’s Daughter.” According to Teton Science Schools, her story is one of “resilience and empowerment, from a turbulent childhood in Wyoming to a globe-spanning career as a whitewater rafting guide” that began on the Snake River in Jackson Hole.
“We do have a really grand tradition of chroniclers of Western history,” Ryan said. “It’s a very lively community for such a sparsely populated state. We seem to attract real writers.”
Joe Scarborough tells Dem candidate Jay Jones to leave race over violent comments against GOP lawmaker
FIRST ON FOX: New site exposes NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘radical’ record — in his own words
Red Wings search for faster starts after two discouraging defeats
Peter Zerzan’s ‘The Tourist’ Begins Its Festival Journey at the 20th San Francisco Short Film Festival
Man wanted in slaying of Mesquite woman arrested, jailed in Dallas
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Map: Minor Earthquake Strikes Southern California
Grassley releases memo showing DOJ ‘unleashed unchecked government power’ on Trump associates
Trump says all trade talks with Canada are terminated over Reagan ad
Trump backs away from sending federal agents to San Francisco | CBC News
Video: Inside Our Reporter’s Collection of Guantánamo Portraits
-
World4 days agoIsrael continues deadly Gaza truce breaches as US seeks to strengthen deal
-
News3 days agoVideo: Federal Agents Detain Man During New York City Raid
-
Technology4 days agoAI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats
-
News4 days agoTrump news at a glance: president can send national guard to Portland, for now
-
News3 days agoBooks about race and gender to be returned to school libraries on some military bases
-
Business4 days agoUnionized baristas want Olympics to drop Starbucks as its ‘official coffee partner’
-
Politics4 days agoTrump admin on pace to shatter deportation record by end of first year: ‘Just the beginning’
-
Science4 days agoPeanut allergies in children drop following advice to feed the allergen to babies, study finds