Will Arbery set Heroes of the Fourth Turning on August 19, 2017, “Two days before the solar eclipse. One week after the Charlottesville riot.” in “a town of 7,000 in western Wyoming” that is home to a college very much like Wyoming Catholic College in Lander, WY. Lander was in the path of totality for the 2017 solar eclipse. The following are headlines from the two weeks before the play takes place, from both the New York Times and the Riverton Ranger, a local newspaper to the Lander area. We have linked to the New York Times articles; The Riverton Ranger doesn’t have an archive directly available; you can access through NewsBank at the DC Public Library or another online database.
Justice Dept. to Take On Affirmative Action in College Admissions Aug. 1, 2017 (The New York Times)
Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half Aug. 2, 2017 (The New York Times)
Minnesota Mosque Hit by Early-Morning Explosion Aug. 5, 2017 (The New York Times)
Deep Divisions Emerge in Trump Administration as North Korea Threatens War Aug. 9, 2017 (The New York Times)
5 Transgender Service Members Sue Trump Over Military Ban Aug. 9, 2017 (The New York Times)
White Nationalists March on University of Virginia Aug. 11, 2017 (The New York Times)
New Orleans Scrambles to Repair Drainage System After Severe Flooding Aug. 11, 2017 (The New York Times)
Critics Slam Trump's Tepid Condemnation of Violence on 'Many Sides' in Virginia, Aug. 12, 2017 (The New York Times)
Mueller Is Said to Seek Interviews With West Wing in Russia Case Aug. 12, 2017 (The New York Times)
Holocaust Memorial in Boston Is Vandalized for Second Time This Summer Aug. 15, 2017 (The New York Times)
Trump Says Bannon Is ‘Not a Racist,’ but His Job Status Remains in Doubt Aug. 15, 2017 (The New York Times)
Policy Under Trump Bars Obama-Era Path to U.S. for Central American Youths Aug. 15, 2017 (The New York Times)
Transgender Bathroom Bill Dies Again in Texas, Raising Republican Acrimony Aug. 16, 2017 (The New York Times)
Obama’s Charlottesville Response, Boosted by Nostalgia, Becomes Most-Liked Tweet Ever Aug. 16, 2017 (The New York Times)
Bannon Mocks Colleagues and ‘Alt-Right’ in Interview, Aug. 17, 2017 (The New York Times)
Ex-Detainees Reach Settlement With 2 Psychologists in CIA Torture Case, August 17, 2017 (The New York Times)
Stephen Bannon Out at the White House After Turbulent Run, Aug 18, 2017 (The New York Times)
Seeking Reset, Trump Dines with Some of His Biggest Donors, Aug 18, 2017 (The New York Times)
Fire chars downtown Lander Building; Two Injured, Aug 2, 2017 (The Riverton Ranger, Wyoming)
West Nile Arrives; Carrier Bug Detected, Aug 3, 2017 (The Riverton Ranger)
Wyoming Catholic College welcomes largest incoming class, August 10, 2017 (The Riverton Ranger)
Regulating Garage Sales, Aug 11, 2017 (The Riverton Ranger)
Airport braces for Solar Eclipse Boom, Aug 16, 2017(The Riverton Ranger)
Lander to host open house celebrating fiber optic cable connection, Aug 17, 2017 (The Riverton Ranger)