Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
The potential of a closure gate on Wyoming Highway 71 has taken a detour following the January 7 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC). As previously reported, Carbon County Road and Bridge Supervisor Kandis Fritz sent a letter to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) requesting a closure gate for Wyoming Highway 71 for instances when Interstate 80 is closed during the winter. The reasoning for this, Fritz wrote in the letter, was a matter of...
During the December 16, 2024 Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) meeting for the Board of Trustees' meeting, the annual reorganization of the board took place. Reelected as chairperson was Kassie Westring, Joe Gaspari was reelected vice chairperson, Nick Wamsley was reelected as clerk and Georgia Miller remained as treasurer. Good Sportsmanship in Football The Encampment Football team was recognized by the Wyoming High School Athletic Association for their excellent...
Editor’s Note: This the second in a 3 part series TRANQUILIZED On Jan. 10, 1995, a 20-person capture crew based out of Alberta’s Switzer Provincial Park started working to capture the first wolves bound for the states. Aerial crews darted 28 wolves from what they believed were 11 different packs during the operation, and Canadian trappers managed to nab more — many of which were collared and returned to the wild to monitor the donor wolf population. By month’s end, 14...
The importance of communication not only between state departments and the public, but with other state departments, was a topic of discussion during the January 7 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC). The topic came up under a report from Carbon County Public Health as Dr. Duane Abels—the county health officers—revisited a case in 2024 involving anthrax detected in Elk Mountain cattle. As was reported by WyoFile, in September more than 50 cattle...
The New Year, in the cases of some governing bodies, also means new leadership. In other cases, it means the same familiar faces. Here is where changes did, and did not, occur in the Platte Valley, Rawlins and on the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC). Carbon County Commissioners For the past two years, Commissioner Sue Jones has served as chairperson of the BOCCC with Commissioner Travis Moore serving as vice chairperson. On January 7, Moore was officially voted...
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming Department of Transportation has seen a plow strike in each of its five districts already this winter, with four strikes occurring since the Christmas holiday alone. WYDOT plow drivers want to issue 10 reminders ahead of what is typically Wyoming’s snowiest months: - Give plows room to work. Snow plows are huge machines capable of moving tons of snow every minute. Like all vehicles, plows have blind spots; for safety, avoid following too closely. - Avoid passing a plow truck when it's plowing...
In the 43 years since Chuck Box—then the CEO of the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce—started the Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby, there have only been two years the event was cancelled. Both times were due to a lack of stock from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department treating the trout fishery. It’s one of the few events which has been held regardless of weather or even when there’s areas of thin ice or open water. “Obviously, in 41 years, there’s been a...
JACKSON - Should partisan politics trickle all the way down to the local level, potentially impacting decisions about how to educate children as young as 5? That's a question on the minds of lawmakers from the opening day of the Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday, when Senate File 98 was already on the drawing board. The bill would require school trustee candidates to declare a party affiliation when running for a seat. It is sponsored by Sen. Jared Olsen, R-Cheyenne, who is vice...
CHEYENNE - Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon welcomed members of the 68th Wyoming Legislature on Wednesday and reminded them that their legislative decisions have consequences. "I congratulate you on your election and wish you Godspeed. We do have a lot to do, and I have no doubt that the people in this room can get it done," Gordon said. "We have serious responsibilities that require us to work together to serve those who have entrusted us with our positions, and we are all part of...
Photo by Elliott Deins Sophie Diaz (center) fights off Encampment defenders — Regin Stewart and Savannah...
The Encampment girls basketball team defeated the Saratoga Panthers 41-29 in the Tiger Den this weekend, thanks to a second half comeback by the Tigers. At half, the Lady Tigers were down 24-18, but managed to tie the game in the third period and outscored their rivals 12 to one in the final period to secure victory. For Tiger head coach Mandy Westerman – it came down to her players, their maturity and the choices they’d make on the court. “I’ve been telling the girls...
The roar of Panther fans filled the Encampment K-12 School gym on January 11 as the Saratoga Panthers were hosted by the Encampment Tigers for the first conference match between the two Valley teams. Despite the very vocal support, Saratoga appeared to struggle through most of the game even as they worked on a comeback in the third quarter. Ultimately, the Panthers were just barely dealt their first conference loss of the season. ‘We came out a little flat and rusty after...
Whether it was a second-half comeback by the Encampment Lady Tigers or a struggle to put together all four quarters, what appeared to be a game for the Saratoga Lady Panthers to win became their first conference loss. “It was a game of two halves,” said Head Coach Logan Wright. “We really came out strong and executed our gameplan. In the end, we are a young team that is growing and learning daily.” The Lady Panthers started off strong as they won the tip-off against...
LARAMIE – On a night where Allyson Fertig became just the third member of the 1,000-Rebound Club in program history, the Wyoming Cowgirls were able to hang on for a 66-61 win at home over Nevada. Despite never trailing, and leading for over 39 minutes of Wednesday's contest, the Cowgirls had to get multiple stops in the final couple of minutes of the contest to survive the win. "The press got us sped up in the second half and started to turn us over," said Heather Ezell...
Winter is here. As of January 2 we can claim it to be winter as we finally received much-needed snowfall. The temperature dropped, the air dried and the roads iced over, thus producing mass panic and the inability to operate our vehicles correctly. Each year at the first snowfall and freeze, I’m amazed by the number of drivers who seemingly forget how to navigate through these winter conditions. There are two gears, you’re either moving at 20 mph below the speed limit (not necessarily a bad thing) while simultaneously...
In a few days, legislators will convene in Cheyenne for the 2025 legislative session. It’s hard to believe that it’s already here. It doesn’t feel that long ago that the last session ended and people were mad at the governor for exercising his veto power. Already, a couple hundred bills have been put forward, and there are still three weeks left for legislators to submit their own bills. The fun thing about it being a general session, as opposed to a budget session, is you’ll get to see way more bills. And when I...
To My Friends in the North Platte Valley, On the occasion of my taking leave of you, I want to express my profound thanks. Thank you all for giving me 2 of the most rewarding years of my professional life. Being able to be a part of initiating the NPVMC has been a great joy and privilege for me. Moreover, I have been treated so well by everyone from Hanna, Saratoga, Encampment, Riverside and Elk Mountain. For all your myriad tender kindnesses to me I am and always will be profoundly and eternally grateful. I will miss you...
Are you confident that God is watching you, listening to your words, and searching your heart during times of difficulty or making a request? It’s not that uncommon to hear people say that sometimes they feel their prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and cannot explain why or how this could be happening. These times of spiritual discouragement are fairly common, but it does not mean that our messages are going to voicemail. He is Omnipresent which means He sees and hears everything instantaneously. Others will testify at...
"When Judas had left them, Jesus said, ": Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, '1 will be with you only a little while longer. '1 give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 'This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" Gosepl of John 13: 31-33a, 34-35). As a small child, I started to...
Photos by Liz...
Saratoga’s own Logan Robinson performed for an estimated 800,000 spectators with the University of Wyoming’s “Western Thunder” Marching Band during the 2025 New Years Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Robinson, Panther class of 2024, is a freshman majoring in Geology at the University of Wyoming and can be found playing the tenor saxophone on the field at War Memorial Stadium during halftime at Cowboy home football games. “Five-and-a-half miles in a full polyester...
12th GRADE 4.0 Honor Roll Allie Condict, Madison Johnson, Josie Little, Cheyenne McCormick, Aspen Sewell 3.5 Honor Roll Tyler Bangs, Karlee Boyles, Sophia Diaz, Bailey Glode, Sophia Grubb, Allyster Ingraham, Jaida Jennings, Jerahleigh Johnson, Milan Scott 3.0 Honor Roll Douglas Anderson, Kanean Roberts, Decker Sipe, Skyler Wood 11th GRADE 4.0 Honor Roll Gillian Creed, Bennett Keel, Hazen Williams 3.5 Honor Roll Wynter Adams, Levi Hatch, Taylor Malcolm, Nathaniel Williams 3.0 Honor Roll Andrew Baldwin, Burris Berger, Mallory...
Saratoga Elementary School Interventionist ReAnn Follum presented the LTRS program to the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees (CCSD2) at the December 16, 2024 meeting. LTRS stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling. LTRS is a professional learning course in the science or reading for elementary educators and the course teaches the how, what and why of literacy acquisition to improve instructional practices, according to the handout...
