Where's my flying car?

As we begin 2026, I find myself thinking back to Dec. 31, 1999, when our country was bracing for Y2K and the calendar turning to the year 2000.

There was never much real evidence that the new millennium would cause widespread technological failures, but most of us probably had at least a little “what if” in the back of our minds. I rang in the new year at the radio station, waiting to see if January 1 would bring chaos or calm. As it turned out, 2000 arrived without incident.

Now here we are, entering 2026, with a full quarter of the 21st century behind us.

Lately, I find myself thinking about family and friends in my life, asking questions like, “Will their children see the year 2100?” When you do the math, children born in 2025 will be 75 years old when the next century rolls around.

That’s a remarkable thought.

It intrigues me that we are already 25 years into the 2000s. I remember when the year 2000 felt impossibly far away. Surely by then we would be living like George Jetson — commuting around Gillette in flying cars — or teleporting to distant locations as they did on Star Trek. Personally, I’d still love to have a transporter someday.

As I enter my 36th year in the community I am proud to call home, I find myself reflecting more and more on the past. I’ve always enjoyed talking with members of the older generation who moved here in the 1960s and listening to their stories about the early days of Gillette. But with 36 years under my own belt, I now find myself sharing my own historical memories of this town: The good, the bad and the crazy.

Gillette is an awesome place, and its residents are just as awesome. We are a community that cares, looks out for one another, and steps up when help is needed.

I also want to say how proud I am of our team here at the News Record. When someone tells me they enjoy the paper and says, “Good job, Erik,” I’m quick to respond, “It’s not me—it’s our team.” And that’s the truth. Thank you to every member of our staff.

On behalf of the entire Gillette News Record team, we extend a heartfelt thank you to our readers, advertisers, and supporters for being part of the News Record family.

Here’s to a prosperous 2026!