Week of November 14, 2024
Photo by D’Ron Campbell. Mr. Robby Follum, Encampment music teacher, leads the elementary students in "You're a Grand Old Flag" at the K-12 assembly honoring local veterans. See more photos on A8 of this week’s Saratoga...
Saturday morning the chance to place at State Volleyball slipped through the fingers of the Encampment Lady Tigers by 2 points. The fact that this team made it that far is an accomplishment in itself as the team had six starters with only three on the bench. Most of the teams they competed against at State had more players on their bench than the Tigers had on their team. Lady Tigers Head Coach Janice Peterson said she and assistant coach Annie Jordan were very impressed with how the players...
The Saratoga Panthers lost their path to the 1A-nine man championship football game in War Memorial Stadium on November 8 in Pine Bluffs. After putting up their best season in 17 years, the Panthers succumbed to the Hornet’s nest in a 12-42 defeat. The Saratoga team was shutout the first half of the game with two interceptions thrown by Jace Westring and caught by Pine Bluff’s Carsten Freeburg. ‘We fell behind early and struggled to stop their running game,” said Head Coach Jared Mason....
For another year, the Encampment Tigers were unable to make it past the semifinal round of the 1A Six-Man Playoffs to walk into War Memorial Stadium. With their season at an end, they can take pride in the fact that their loss to the Burlington Huskies was a hard fought match. If playing in Laramie is the ultimate goal, then battling the defending state champions into triple-overtime is surely a close second. “I’m super proud of everyone on the team. They left everything they had out on the...
Former University of Wyoming Cowboy Carl Granderson and the New Orleans Saints ended their seven-game slide on Sunday against Atlanta. He defended two passes in the 20-17 victory. For the season, Granderson lays claim to 34 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, one forced fumble and six quarterback hits for 3-7 New Orleans. The Saints host the Browns in Week 11. Below is a list of the other former Wyoming Cowboys and how they performed in Week 10. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills Allen wasn’t his sharpest Sunday at Indianapolis, however, he...
The results of the 2024 General Election are now official following an audit held by the Carbon County Clerk’s Office on November 7. Along with certifying the results of the general election, the clerk’s office also reported a 105% turnout. The audit was conducted in the Carbon County Commissioner’s Room at the Carbon Building — Courthouse Annex Room by Gwynn Bartlett, Carbon County Clerk, and Lisa Smith, Chief Deputy Clerk. Of the 6,446 ballots cast, 75 were randomly selected for...
We all have our guilty pleasures. Those things that we know we shouldn’t enjoy, but we do anyway. For some people, it’s eating dessert first while for others it's drinking a soda from time-to-time. My guilty pleasure is Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom.” There are multiple reasons, perhaps even countless reasons, why this is a guilty pleasure. First, it's not at all lost on me that I-someone who works in print journalism-enjoy watching and rewatching a show about a fictional broadcast...
In the search for the balance of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, this past week saw tributes and thanks for those in our community who have served not only in the military but in the polling centers during our election process. We heartily thank our veterans for serving not only their communities but their country in their military commitments as the staff of The Saratoga Sun now includes members of the United States Army, Air Force and soon the Navy with our new reporter starting later this month. The military investments made by...
Fall has definitely arrived with this cooler weather. When I think of fall, I immediately think of caramel apples. If you love caramel apples, then you’ll love our desert special: Caramel Apple Bundt Cake. This has quickly become a fall favorite in my house and I’m sure it will be come one in your house as well. Caramel Apple Bundt Cake - 6 apples or 1 can of apple pie filling - 2 C white sugar - 1 1/2 C vegetable oil - 2 tsp vanilla extract - 3 large eggs - 3 C all - purpose flour - 1 tsp...
In the two-and-a-half hours before the October 31 midnight deadline for voting, the lead for the Platte Valley Arts Council’s (PVAC) annual Hay Bale Sculpture Contest changed three times. It made for a late night for Mary Martin, who facilitates the contest each year. When it was all said and done, however, Brush Creek Ranch beat out the other 13 competitors with their entry “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” Lauren Trostle and Dakota Lewis, representing Brush Creek Ranch, accepted the...
In order to “soak-in” the fascinating history of Saratoga’s famous mineral hot springs and Hobo Pool folks are invited to come to the Saratoga Branch Library for a pictorial slide show by local historian Dick Perue Thursday evening, Nov. 14th, beginning at 6:30. Friends of the Saratoga Library urge everyone to enjoy the stories and photos portraying not only the history, but some of the lore, legends and a few tall tales of the town’s most precious asset. Come for the show and stay for...
As people around the United States prepare to give thanks this month, giving an hour of their time could change a person’s life. On Tuesday, November 19, another blood drive will be coming to Saratoga with the help of the Saratoga Council of Catholic Women and Vitalant. In the time it takes to read this article, nearly 100 people will receive lifesaving blood transfusions. By taking just around an hour to donate, a person can do something wonderful. In the southern corner of Wyoming, it takes approximately 500 people a week to donate blood...
Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, which mean Christmas is right around the corner. While the season can be one filled with gifts, those in need may often go without. Every year, the Valley Service Organization (VSO) organizes the Giving Tree project. The project is designed to ensure all Valley children—in both Saratoga and Encampment—have a chance to enjoy a Merry Christmas regardless of their economic circumstances, according to Project Chairman Micki Hall. Parents who wish their children to be included in the project this year are...
President Reagan in a radio address to the nation in 1983 is quoted, “Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.” In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a ceasefire was declared as the signing of the Armistice Treaty ended World War I. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as Armistice Day for the soldiers who survived as they marched in hometown...
I. The Attributes of God The attributes of God are often put into two classes, those that man does not share with God (often called the negative attributes), and those attributes of man that God has in a greater and more perfect sense (the positive attributes). The easier ones to understand are those attributes of God shared by man. These attributes would include life, knowledge, wisdom, will, holiness, justice, truthfulness, power, love, grace, patience and many others. But when these are applied to God, the first class of attributes...
With just 45 days until Christmas, the annual Saratoga Holiday Bazaar returned to the Platte Valley Community Center on November 9. It seemed the perfect day for it. A heavy, wet snow was falling on the Valley as residents throughout Carbon County made their way around the Great Hall to see what wares area vendors had to offer. The obvious attractions, it seemed, were Pure Dixie—owned by Dixie Berger and her husband, Kirby—and the quaint creations of Mary Hohnholt. Other local vendors...
Think WalMart, but local. That’s how Chris and Samantha Starks, the new owners of Aspen Sky Merchant Mall (Aspen Sky) in Saratoga, view their role in the community. “It’s better than WalMart, it’s not a big box store, but you can get everything you need here,” said Samantha. “There’s something, literally, for everybody.” On November 2, the Starks held a grand re-opening of the business they had purchased from long-time owner Linda Rogers. For years, Aspen Sky has hosted a...
Christina (Tina) Louise Francis, a resident of Saratoga WY, passed away on October 14, 2024 at the age of 76 years. Tina was born March 19, 1948 in West Point NY. She grew up as the second oldest in a family of thirteen children. As a military family, they moved often and Tina grew up in many places. Tina married Gary Francis on February 20, 1988. They moved to Saratoga in 2001 and Tina always considered it the place she was meant to be. She enjoyed serving in the VSO, as a member of the museum board, volunteering for various chamber of...
Every spring, students in third through 10th grades participate in the Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress (WY-TOPP) which gauges students’ abilities based on Wyoming Content and Performance Standards (WYCPS). The test is produced and offered through an outside evaluation agency. Writing, mathematics, science and language arts are tested over several days to evaluate the progress of students year to year. Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) saw mixed results from the Spring 2024...
Last month, the Saratoga Elementary School (SES) Library became a miniature book store, thanks to SES librarian Luke Spiering, and Scholastics Book Fair. The students were able to shop for books they were interested in without leaving the area. Since there are not any bookstores in Saratoga, this gave students an opportunity to browse through books and toys related to books to see if they want to purchase them. The book fair was open during the school’s parent/teacher conference. The book...
Photos by Liz Wood and D'Ron...