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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, but we did have the...
Much like an alternating current of electricity, there was a mix of news presented at Carbon Power & Light’s 83rd Annual Meeting on June 22 at the Platte Valley Community Center. Following several rounds of bingo and interspersed with door prizes for electric cooperative member owners, updates were also provided by TriState Electric and the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. Transitioning to the Future One of the first pieces of good news was delivered by Clay Thompson, Vice President of the Carbon Power & Light Board of Directors. Thompson t...
There are few things better than a good taco. While they may be Mexican in origin, tacos are extraordinarily popular in the United States. Just look at all the variations of fast-food chains which are built on tortillas, meat and cheese. They even led to a highly-publicized legal battle between Wyoming-based Taco John’s and Taco Bell regarding the use of “Taco Tuesday.” They’re so ingrained into our culture that comedy band Lewberger wrote the song “White People Taco Night.” More than three-...
The Independence Day weekend and Saratoga Days are just around the corner, bringing with it headlining act Lita Ford. With yet another big name in music coming to perform for free in Saratoga, the Saratoga Police Department is working to prepare for the event. “Last year, the Saratoga Days Committee did an exceptional job of planning,” said Chief Mike Morris. “It was very well run. We had very few issues last year.” Few issues, however, doesn’t mean there weren’t any issues. According t...
The best way to describe the Colorado-based band Loose Change—which performed at the BearTrap in Riverside on Saturday night—might be from the popular song by Donny and Marie Osmond, “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n’ Roll.” Maureen Dailey and her husband, Lee, came from different musical backgrounds before helping to found Loose Change, which plays covers of popular 90s country songs such as Dwight Yokum. “It kind of morphed into a band. [With the] National Western Stockshow, my dad wa...
With the filing deadline of May 31 now past, the ballots for the primary election are now set. In the local races, nearly all are contested with several people running for limited seats. Meanwhile, there’s some new faces in the statewide offices as one long-time congressman doesn’t appear to be running for re-election this cycle. United States Senator Beginning with United States Senator, John Barrasso will be seeking another term. Barrasso has served in the United States Senate since 2007, when he was appointed to finish the term of the lat...
A Saratoga man has pleaded guilty to two charges related to a shooting at the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Wyatt James Fluty, 29, entered guilty pleas to one count of attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer and one count of commission of a felony while armed with a firearm. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the guilty pleas on May 31. The other four charges Fluty was facing were dismissed as part of a plea bargain. At his initial appearance in September 2023, Fluty had pleaded not guilty to the charges....
With a deadline of May 31 for candidates to file for the primary election, some races will see some competition while others are either uncontested or without any candidates at all. This year, three seats are up for grabs on the Board of Carbon County Commissioners with five candidates having filed as of May 28. John Espy and Sue Jones both have filed to run for re-election. Joining them on the ballot will be Gwynn Bartlett, who has served as the Carbon County Clerk since 2010 and was re-elected in 2022, James “Jimmy” Hinkle and Garrett Ire...
As high school seniors were practicing their graduation walks and making sure they had all their assignments turned in before accepting their diplomas, Saratoga Head Start held its own graduation. Part of Carbon County Child Development, Head Start held their graduation ceremony on May 22 at the Platte Valley Community Center Theater. Saratoga Head Start Director Pat Forbes led the commencement along with other Head Start staff as they showcased what students had learned for the school year,...
Every morning, Principal Mike Erickson greets students at Encampment K-12 School. Standing in the middle of the foyer, he gives fist bumps to both primary and secondary students as they start their day. On May 31, he will be giving fist bumps for the last time. After 19 years as principal and 30 years in education, Erickson will be retiring. According to the outgoing principal, now’s a good time to retire. Rather Early Than Late “There’s a lot of things that I’ll miss but anybody who knows m...
Nearly three months after the untimely passing of Saratoga Town Council member Jacob Fluty—and a month of advertising—the governing body received two letters of interest for the vacant seat. One letter was from Bub Barkhurst, owner of Barkhurst Collision Center, and the other was from Chia Valdez, owner of Saratoga Land Company and a current member of the Saratoga Planning Commission. Both applicants cited their long ties to Wyoming in their letters with Barkhurst stating his family had set...
In rural areas such as Carbon County, access to healthcare doesn’t always mean it is affordable. According to the Rural Health Information Hub (ruralhealthinfo.org), while access to healthcare would imply that services are available and obtainable in a timely manner many rural residents encounter barriers to healthcare. “Even when an adequate supply of healthcare services exists in the community, there are other factors that may impede healthcare access,” reported the Rural Health Infor...
The resubdividing of existing lots and how that could impact the future of zoning was a subject of the Saratoga Planning Commission during their March 12 meeting. At the heart of the discussion was property owned by Paul Newman located at 208 W. Saratoga Avenue. Rather than either the property being a single lot or two lots, it is a lot-and-a-half. “I’d like to put two brand new trailers on that lot-and-a-half but per zoning, I’m only allowed to do one per lot,” said Newman. “I’m asking to divide my lot-and-a-half into two three-quart...
It seemed the Easter Bunny not only made a stop in the Encampment and Riverside area, but lost most of his basket in the process. On March 30, the Encampment/Riverside Volunteer Fire Department held their annual easter egg hunt for children aged preschool through 6th grade. The event, held at Rick Martin Memorial Park in Riverside, seems to draw participants from near and far every year and with good reason. Approximately 30 dozen eggs and pounds upon pounds of candy were littered throughout...
When reading up on types of earthquake-resistant structures, one will be greeted with a variety of options when it comes to construction. Flexible foundations, seismic dampers, ductile materials which can either deflect, absorb, transfer or distribute vibrations from seismic activity. Professional architects and contractors have a variety of materials at their disposal to attempt this. The 8th grade science class at Saratoga Middle High School just had marshmallows and pasta noodles. Yet, quite...
It’s before noon on a Monday. The sound of oil on cast iron cuts through the air, just like the smell of hot cast iron. Mixed in is the odor of seared meat and the aroma of cooked vegetables and potatoes. On one skillet is Skyler Wood, making a batch of bacon home fries while, on the other skillet, Kayden Erick puts a sear on a cut of bison tenderloin. Douglass Campbell occasionally steps in between the two, offering some quick advice and bringing them supplies. This could be a scene from an e...
It can be hard to find just one word which would best describe Loren “Teense” Willford. A fifth-generation resident of the Platte Valley, Teense has been and is many things. A husband, a father, a friend, a Mason, a musician and a statesman. On February 3, though he was being honored by the Saratoga Masonic Lodge, it was difficult for those in attendance not to talk about Teense’s other contributions. “He’s always giving to something else, always supporting somebody else,” said Howard Hill...
More than two years have passed since the formation of a working group for Never Forget Park—formerly Tyler Pickett Memorial Park—and from the outside looking in it appears there has been little more progress than in the previous decade. It’s not for lack of trying. “I have written six grants and have a couple more in the works,” said Stacy Crimmins, who has been with the working group since its formation. “Unfortunately, (we) have not received any of those grants yet. It’s a little frustrating...
An Encampment couple could be facing a total of 28 counts of welfare fraud—all felonies—according to documents filed with Carbon County Circuit Court. According to an affidavit of probable cause, Sarah Fitzwater and Matthew Wagy are accused of defrauding three welfare programs of nearly $45,000 between 2017 and 2023. Fitzwater is facing 19 counts, Wagy is facing 9 counts as an accomplice. Each count carries with it a $10,000 fine, up to 10 years in prison or both. Following an investigation by the Department of Family Services Eligibility Int...
While the House of Representatives hit a stalemate in electing leadership in Washington D.C. on January 3, nearly 1,800 miles away the Rawlins City Council decided on their own leaders. The entire process was held by secret ballot. The governing body will have two familiar faces in leadership for the next two years. Mayor Terry Weickum was reappointed for another two years on January 3 while Steve Sanger was appointed vice-mayor. Sanger previously served as vice-mayor from 2017 to 2021 under mayors Richard Grauberger and Steve Nicholson....
The residents of Ward 2 in Rawlins were without full representation on January 3 and will be without at least until the first meeting in February. Tonya Lewman, who defeated incumbent Linda Smith in the 2022 General Election, did not take her Oath of Office following allegations of violating campaign finance laws. The City of Rawlins began taking nominations for the vacancy on January 6 and will accept them through January 20. The other Ward 2 representative is Councilmember Darril Garner. Lewman Speaks Lewman, who defeated Smith by more than 1...
There was no shortage of snow as Rawlins entered the New Year, receiving a total of two feet between the night of January 1 and the morning of January 4. Fortunately, there was no shortage when it came to acts of kindness as well. From pulling vehicles out of drifts to shoveling driveways to clearing sections of the city, the immense snowfall brought out a sense of community. “My amazing neighbors helped me dig out my driveway,” said Megan McComas. “I had giant drifts of snow almost four feet deep and they helped me by bringing over their...