Courtney Ress grew up in Colby and as a teen thought she would make her mark somewhere other than Thomas County. But college and a teaching job provided some perspective, and she’s returned, becoming an associate in the John D. Gatz law firm. One of her job’s perks is handling cases at the impressive local courthouse — more than a century old and on the National Register of Historic Places — where the “Spirit of the Prairie” statue greets passersby. Credit: Jeff Tuttle