LOOKING BACK ON 2012

     I know this is a few days late, but I was finally able to flip through my work from 2012 and decided to put together a few of my best images from this past year. 
     It's a wide-range of topics from car accidents to fires to sports and even some portraits. Some of the events I covered were new experiences for me and some of them also gave me the chance to work on some soundslide videos, which are always fun to put together. I'll be doing a few more of those in 2013.
     With no particular order, here are my favorite images from 2012.
     Enjoy!

Shawano police officer Scott Ruen plays tug-of-war with his K-9 partner Aldo just after starting duty recently. Aldo is the city's only K-9 and has been with Ruen in 2010.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conducted a planned burn on several fields around the Navarino Nature Center on Tuesday afternoon. Over 10 acres were burned in 3 hours, 45 minutes. The burns are conducted every three years to destroy invasive species and to destroy dead vegetation.

Aerialists hang from the ceiling of the Crawford Center during the first performance of the Beja Shrine Circus in Shawano on Monday. The circus shows including elephant, tigers and dog acts as well as aerialists, clowns and motorcycles.

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) intercepts a pass intended for Green Bay Packers receiver Greg Jennings in the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won the game 23-14.

Ethan Giamelle, of Rainbow Valley Rides, works on putting together the Lolliswings ride in the kiddie park area of the midway on Tuesday afternoon. Giamelle said it takes about an hour
for each ride to be put together.

Firefighters from the Shawano Area Fire Department battle a fire at 337 S. Andrews St. in Shawano on Saturday. Firefighters were called to the scene of the fire at 10 a.m. No one was home at the time of the fire and no one was injured. No cause has been determined.

Greg Rusch, of Shawano, Wis., paints a portion of the blue line on the ice at the Crawford Center in Shawano on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012 in preparation of the upcoming hockey season. Behind Rusch is Mike Johnson, also of Shawano. Following painting an inch of ice will be put down to finish the rink. The Green Bay Junior Gamblers will be using the ice center on Saturday

Green Bay Packers punt returner Randall Cobb escapes a tackle attempt by San Francisco 49ers punter Andy Lee in the fourth quarter on his way to a touchdown.

Dean Werth, of Clintonville, holds his daughter, Willow, while attempting to get a photo of sturgeon as they swim past in the Wolf River on Wednesday afternoon. The sturgeon began spawning in Shawano on Monday and were beginning to wrap up Wednesday.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews sacks New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the third quarter of their game on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Walleyes for Tomorrow chairman Mike Arrowood measures walleye eggs to put the correct amount into the hatchery jars at the group's portable fish hatchery in Cecil. The hatchery can hold between three to four million walleye eggs.

Natalie Colon, right, dumps a bottle of cold water over her sister, Isabel, as the two begin the running portion of the triathlon on Wednesday in Leopolis.

Shawano Area Firefighters look over the scene of a semi-truck rollover on Highway 29 just west of the Highway 22 exit just outside of Shawano on Thursday afternoon. The truck lost its load of grain and blocked both east bound lanes, forcing traffic around via the on and off ramps of Highway 22. The semi-truck driver sustained minor injuries.