ECONOMY: Wyo.'s trifecta — coal, oil and gas — all fall down

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Almost 50 years ago, a group of volunteers started a day care program in a church basement to help turn this city from a raw boomtown into a place where workers could settle with their families. Over time, local officials harnessed the tax money that came with the boom in coal, oil and natural gas production and put it to work. The town was once such a rough place that it lent its name to "Gillette syndrome," which refers to the community disarray that comes with an oil boom. Today it boasts a robust school system; a state-of-the-art recreational center; a shelter for families in crisis; and a wide range of services for residents experiencing drug abuse, domestic violence and homelessness. But all of that is being threatened by the extended downturn in the oil, gas and coal industries.