Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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Though they have yet to play a conference game, Encampment Tiger football appears off to a strong start this season. After taking down the Riverside Rebels, the Tigers dealt a nearly 40-point loss to the junior varsity team of Natrona County High School on September 10. Throughout the entire match, Encampment kept their scoring in double digits, only being outscored in one quarter. “It was good to start fast again in this game,” said Head Coach Kegan Willford. ‘I felt like...
On September 13, it seemed nearly all of Carbon County had gathered at the Jeffrey Memorial Center in Rawlins for the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation’s (CCEDC) annual dinner and fundraiser. Throughout the night, CCEDC Director Yvonne Johnson could be seen floating around the room as she greeted guests from Rawlins, the Platte Valley, the Little Snake River Valley and the Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow areas. It wasn’t hard to spot Johnson who, beside her...
It has recently dawned on me that I’m getting old or at least getting older. As if the aching back, popping knees and difficulty standing up weren’t the obvious sign then social media has certainly been doing its part. When doomscrolling through an app which focuses on short-form video, I’ll see trends like “Bet You Can’t Name These 5 Classic Songs.” Fully prepared to show off my knowledge of classic bands such as Queen, Kiss or Fleetwood Mac I am instead greeted with bands fr...
David Rousu, who purchased a lot at 804 W Bridge Avenue earlier this year, will have to wait to find out whether or not he can build a house on the property. Despite being surrounded by residential homes, the lot is located in retail business as are the other lots surrounding it. While the Saratoga Planning Commission recommended approval of a zone change for Rousu’s lot—with Mayor Chuck Davis providing the tie-breaking vote—the Saratoga Town Council voted to table the zone change at their September 17 meeting. Davis was n...
“This is a really heavy topic and nobody wants to be having this conversation, but I do think it’s in our best interest to have these discussions and make decisions on our own behalf.” A closing comment from Kassey Westring, chairman of the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees, summarized a nearly hour long discussion at their pre-meeting work session on September 16. The topic, which included both Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken and Encampment Polic...
Among the many smiling faces which can be found in the Platte Valley, perhaps none are more recognizable than those of John and Ciji Bauer. This young couple can often be found working together at the Saratoga Sandwich Company, one of the four businesses owned by Cassie and Tommy Orduno, where they greet customers with warm smiles. John, or Johnny, particularly stands out as a barista for remembering a customer’s drink order—even if it has been months since they visited the re...
On a warm, fall Saturday the mouth watering aromas of woodsmoke and beef over an open fire filled the air at Riverside Garage and Cabins. Brisket, burgers, short ribs, steak and even bone marrow were cooked and prepared by local backyard cooks for attendees. It wasn’t just any beef—and bison—on the menu, though. All proteins served at the 2nd Annual Born & Raised Wyoming Beef and Whiskey Festival were, well, born and raised in the Platte Valley. “The beef industry around...
During the Platte Valley Community Center’s annual Party on the Platte fundraiser—the 17th since the completion of the facility—funds were flowing. According to Joe Glode, chairman of the Platte Valley Community Center Joint Powers Board, there is still a plan to increase the amount of lighting in the parking lot of the community center. The funds raised in 2024, however, were going towards a new sound system. According to Glode, the facility has had problems with the syste...
Encampment Tiger six-man football roared into the 2024 season as they took down the Riverside Rebels on September 6 sending them home with a more than 30-point loss. “I really liked the fire and intensity that the boys came out with in this game. The team had great energy and, overall, I thought we played well,” said Head Coach Kegan Willford. Throughout all four quarters of the match, Encampment kept the Rebels’ scoring low. In the 1st quarter, the Tiger Tyrel Brown compl...
After more than a year of discussion and apparent false starts, the Saratoga Planning Commission may have a path forward in the regulation of short term rentals (STRs) in municipal limits. At a special meeting on September 5, the seven member board—joined by legal counsel Kylie Waldrip—discussed and debated the best approach to address short term rentals—such as those listed on AirBNB and VRBO—in Saratoga. Throughout the more than 90 minute meeting, the biggest point of disa...
Following one of the lowest voter turnouts in the primary election since 2016, Carbon County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett encouraged more voter involvement—and education—ahead of the general election. Her comments came during the August 26 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) as she provided the board with a post-election update. Low Turnout “Turnout was low, as you know, about 56%. That’s 10 to 15% lower than I anticipated it would be. We had 5,388 registe...
It was a busy Labor Day weekend for staff at the City of Rawlins as several water main breaks occurred on the holiday. According to the City, the six breaks which took place over a three-day period were due to a combination of aging infrastructure and a period of slightly elevated pressure. “Despite undergoing regular maintenance, a pressure-reducing valve failed,” said Mira Miller, communication relations director with the City of Rawlins in a press release. “Although press...
Saratoga Lady Panthers volleyball started off their new season with a decisive win on Friday afternoon, welcoming the Fort Washakie Lady Eagles to the 1A Southwest Conference in a 3-0 shutout. The opening match of the season gave Head Coach Shayley Love, who has returned after a season away, the opportunity to see what the Lady Panthers may be capable of this season. “My girls know that every one of them is going to be pushed this year just because there’s a ton of talent on...
As landowners and sportsmen alike await a decision from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding a corner crossing case which originated in Carbon County, local law enforcement are left without a clear directive should a similar incident happen again. Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken, called the lack of direction “a little disappointing and a little detrimental” during the August 26 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC). Hunting for Answers Under his...
In a county where more than half of the land is public, determining where the county sheriff authority has jurisdiction can be difficult. A discussion at the most recent meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) over which agency has the ultimate jurisdiction within Carbon County used terminology from the constitutional sheriffs and country supremacy movements. Somewhat Political The discussion, which lasted just under 30 minutes, was prompted by Saratoga...
Photo by Joshua Wood Smoke from fires elsewhere in Wyoming created an orange sunset on Saturday evening as cattle grazed west of Saratoga....
On August 14, Cassie and Tommy Orduno were awarded Business of the Year by the Carbon County Board of Realtors. The Ordunos own and operate several businesses in Saratoga including Bella’s Bistro, opened in 2011; Saratoga Sandwich Company, opened in 2020; Sunny Cup, opened in 2022; and The Lucky Pearl, opened in 2023. Across all four businesses, the couple employ a total of 28 locals while also raising their two young children. “It was an honor for me and my wife to win thi...
It almost seems to be a scene out of a movie. A donation center in another state receives a funeral flag box of a fallen soldier, starting them on a mission to find the rightful home for the memorial item. Their mission leads them to contact a local newspaper. It sounds too good to be true but, on August 22, that’s exactly what happened when the Deseret Industries Thrift Store and Donation Center in Rexburg, Idaho called the Saratoga Sun asking if the name Tyler Pickett had a...
Monday was the sixth “first day of school” for my son, Jareth, and possibly the final one in which I got to drive him. We sent Jareth to the preschool in Encampment and, when it came time to choose a school, we opted for Encampment K-12 as he already had a number of friends. Since kindergarten, it has been a tradition for me to drive Jareth to school and walk with him into the building. It is something I have tried not to take for granted, understanding that it won’t be long...
Property tax exemptions have been a hot topic for the past few years, as Wyoming residents have seen both values and taxes increase following the influx of new residents both during and after the pandemic. While a flurry of bills were introduced in the 2024 Wyoming Legislative Session, only four passed both the House and Senate and only three were signed into law by the governor. House Bill 3, House Bill 45 and Senate File 89 were all signed by Governor Mark Gordon while...
Beginning August 8, registered Republicans in Carbon County began receiving election mailers for supporting Garrett Irene, John Espy and Sue Jones as incumbent candidates for the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCC). There was just one problem. None of the candidates knew about the mailers until they arrived in the mail, nor were they aware of the group which paid for the mailers: The Western Way Action PAC (Political Action Committee). While the mailers were...
Fires are on the forefront of people’s minds recently following a relatively small wildfire near Jack Creek and two calls for hay bales struck by lightning. With the Hanna RR 316 Fire of 2020 still in people’s minds, some may be concerned about where they may evacuate to. “We did have some people raise some concerns about where they would go if a fire made a big run, which can happen,” said Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris. “The fire departments did an amazing job getting on this and knocking it down and staying on it, bu...
For the second time in five years, Altitude Chophouse & Brewery in Laramie walked away with the coveted Steinley Cup for their Pedal House Pilsner. In doing so, they ended the winning streak of Freedom’s Edge Brewing in Cheyenne. “We know how to make a pilsner,” said Sean Minichello. What Is A Pilsner? The brew selected for the 28th Annual Steinley Cup Microbrew Competition was the pilsner which has its origins from the Czech Republic. On August 3, 10 microbreweries from...
It’s been a month since Lita Ford headlined Saratoga Days, an annual free concert held in downtown Saratoga around Independence Day. For Scott McIlvaine, one of the event organizers, having the Queen of Metal play in his hometown is something which still feels surreal. “A free show, nonetheless. That’s huge for Saratoga,” said McIlvaine. “I grew up listening to her music and she played in our town. She enjoyed Saratoga and I hope people enjoyed her.” For the past six years,...
After a two-hour service outage on July 18, Union Wireless is now investigating the reason behind the outage. As previously reported, Platte Valley customers of Union Wireless were without phone, data or internet service for approximately two hours. Initially, Union Wireless cited a planned power outage conducted by the Western Area Power Authority and Carbon Power & Light in the Elk Mountain area for the cause of the service outage. “It’s interesting that the Western Area Power Administration crew shut off the power at 10 a....
