During the holidays, we pay homage to people or animals that as children, we know to be real. As we age, however, we're somehow told that yes, you still can believe in Santa Claus, the leprechaun at the end of the rainbow on St. Patrick's Day, the tooth fairy on those "holidays" when you lose a tooth, and the Easter Bunny on a day like today, even if you can't see them.

A mother and daughter in Powell know that seeing is believing, for their own Easter Bunny has returned.

The Powell Tribune reported in its March 20 edition of a happy ending for Holly Reed and her daughter, Carly Dougherty, courtesy of a Powell Police Department officer.

Anna Paris responded on March 12 to a report of a large white rabbit hopping around the area of Northwest College, the paper reported.

"He started coming toward me and was happy to see me," she told the paper. "He was used to being held and he let me pet him," she told the paper. "He's definitely someone's pet."

The pet's name is Bugs Bunny, and he belongs to Reed, and was brought home in time for Dougherty's visit from California.

And, we might add, just in time for Easter.

And now, for some Easter agony

On this, the earliest Easter in 95 years, children in Riverton are wondering: Where are the Easter eggs?

As of Thursday, March 20, no such hunt in Fremont County's largest city had been planned.

"Easter is so early. It is catching everyone by surprise," a spokesman for the Riverton Elks told the (Riverton) Ranger for its March 20 edition.

The timing of Easter this year has apparently taken its toll on other organizations in Riverton that might sponsor such an event as well, the Ranger reported.

The City of Riverton, the city's recreation department and Central Wyoming College, in part because of the timing of spring break this week, hadn't had anything scheduled.

Lander children fared better, apparently, as the Ranger reported that the town held an egg hunt on Saturday.

Presidential faux pas

Perhaps we should grant former President Bill Clinton a pardon.

The Powell Tribune reported in its March 18 edition of a meeting between former Tribune staffer Milton Ontiveroz, who now works in the University of Wyoming's public-relations department, and the 42nd president during Clinton's appearances in Wyoming nearly two weeks ago.

Ontiveroz, the paper noted, worked with both Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's advance teams for several days leading up to the event.

"It was quite a learning opportunity for me," Ontiveroz told the paper.

For his work, a staffer for Bill Clinton asked Ontiveroz if he'd like to meet the former president.

Once backstage, the former president greeted Ontiveroz.

"Nelson?" the former president said.

"And get this," Ontiveroz told the paper. "I had to correct a president.

"Hillary just lost my vote. I'm an Obama fan," he told the paper.

Gillette preteen to show her stuff on Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network production executives swarmed the Cam-plex recently, shining their spotlights on Cassidy Kruse for a documentary about her passion for barrel racing.

The Gillette News-Record reported in its March 17 edition of Cassidy Kruse, who filmed a session of "Props" for the cable television show, which shows children excelling at various activities including kayaking and barrel racing.

Kruse was just one of 20 children chosen out of 10,0000 applicants for the show.

Kruse is a seventh-grader at Twin Spruce Junior High School.

"They thought I'd be really nervous, but I just pretended the cameras weren't there," she told the paper.

Cassidy was joined on the taping by her horse, JJ.

Cassidy began barrel racing when she was two years old.

"Cassidy is one of the most driven girls," her father, Ray, told the paper.

"There are a lot of good people in Gillette who will think it's pretty cool that their hometown cowgirl actually made it on TV for this," Cassidy told the paper.