Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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The Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce saw a historic 244 participants during the 21st Annual Festival of the Trees on December 6. The fundraiser, which is held to support a selected non-profit in the Platte Valley, raised $44,475—before expenses—for Carbon County Search and Rescue - East Division. The total number came from both auction items and table purchases for the event. Chamber CEO Amanda Knotwell and Chamber Boardmember Karen Youngberg presented a check for $6,500 to Carbon Cou...
Residences and businesses in Saratoga are encouraged to turn on their holiday lighting on December 18 before 5:30 p.m. as the Valley Service Organization will be driving around town to judge who has the best light display. Each year, the non-profit organization heads out with residents of the North Platte Valley Medical Center’s long-term care wing to judge the lights. The winners are then awarded Chamber Bucks from the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce, which can be used at any chamber member businesses, and a box of Christmas c...
Excitement is building for the annual lighted Christmas parade on Saturday, December 14 to be followed by Winter Wonderland, both of which are sponsored by the local Valley Service Organization. The theme of this year’s parade is “An Old-Fashioned Christmas,” and it will be the first lighted Christmas parade that local icon Teense Willford will not announce. This year’s announcer is Larry Cloyd who is excited to follow in the footsteps of Willford. The parade will start lining up at 4:30 on...
The Wyoming Cowgirls ran away with an 80-54 victory Friday over Colorado Christian in front of over 4,000 fans in Wyoming’s annual Education Day Game. Wyoming scored a season-high 40 bench points in the win while all available Cowgirls appeared in the contest. “I think that’s huge that we got to play everybody today and got so many contributions,” said Heather Ezell postgame. “I said to our staff, ‘we’ve got to keep rolling with these kids because at some point they’re going to get that basket to fall and maybe that confidence takes over from...
The holiday season is right around the corner, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has the answer to the age-old question of what to give to friends and family. These six gifts are perfect for the person who likes to hunt, fish or enjoy wildlife. Wyoming Wildlife Conservation License Plate: The Wildlife Conservation License Plate is a specialty plate for Wyoming drivers. New this year, the 2025 plate features the fastest land mammal in North America — the pronghorn. The initial price of the plate is $180, with $150 going to the Wildlife C...
Christmas tree permits are available online at https://forestproducts.blm.gov. The cost for a permit is $7.50 to $10 per tree, depending on location. Up to a maximum of five Christmas trees can be purchased by an individual for personal use. Permits may also be purchased between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday from your local BLM Wyoming field offices, excluding the Newcastle Field Office. A BLM permit is valid for trees located on BLM-administered lands only. Permits for trees on U.S. Forest Service-administered land can be obtained at...
The Never Forget Park committee recently received word that the Town of Saratoga will be a recipient of an award of approximately $278,200 from the federally funded Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Wyoming's LWCF project is administered by Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, Grants Office. Using no taxpayer dollars, the LWCF invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help establish and improve parks and other outdoor recreation areas. This award requires a match from the Town of Saratoga, which includes cash and...
Much like how the opening of the season pass over the Snowy Range is a sign of summer, so too is its closure a sign of winter. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) announced on November 19 that the section of Wyoming Highway 130—also known as the Snowy Range Scenic Byway—was closed for the season. According to the press release, WYDOT crews in Laramie and Saratoga jointly decided that current road conditions warranted the closure of this section of Wyoming Highway 130 for the season. The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is a 12-mile sec...
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 refresh...
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 t...
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 enc...
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 d...
Platte Valley Helping Hands will continue to provide their Annual Free Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner this year. The PVHH Board decided to eliminate their sit-down dinner gathering to protect those they serve from possible exposure to a variety of illnesses that spread during this time of year. For the past 28 years the PVHH has prepared and served meals to residents of the Valley. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner is complete with turkey, dressing, potatoes & gravy, ham, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls and pumpkin pie. Delivery...
History of Saratoga’s famous “Hobo Pool” and “Mineral Hot Springs” will be revealed Thursday evening, Nov. 14th, during a slide program at the Saratoga Public Library. Friends of the Saratoga Library invite folks to soak in the photos and stories beginning at 6:30 p.m. Come for the show, stay for the conversation and refreshments. Local historian Dick Perue will present more than 100 photos of the healing waters, with support from Chilly Rolison concerning Indian lore and Jamie Campbell...
With progress seen in the construction phase of “Never Forget Park (NFP)”, the committee in charge of the park is launching a new fundraising appeal designed to raise $1,100 per day until Veteran’s Day — November 11. According to a press release, “Never Forget Park” Construction Phase (curb and gutter and parking lot prep) is finishing this month. Funds for this phase came from generous support from the community, Order of the Eastern Star, Wyoming Community Foundation, The Marget and James K...
The University of Wyoming Extension has released a new, user-friendly resource to help gardeners, landowners and agricultural producers identify effective weed control options. The digital guide, which is presented in an easy-to-read table format, offers treatment suggestions for specific Wyoming state-designated noxious weeds, county-declared weeds and common garden weeds. Potential control methods for each weed are ranked as effective, somewhat effective and ineffective. In addition to the table, which lists treatment options for more than...
Driver fatigue is being investigated as a contributing factor in wreck near Walcott which closed Interstate 80 for nearly four hours on October 9. According to a press release from the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP), troopers responded to milepost 240 on I80 westbound around 4:30 a.m. for a wreck involving three semi trucks. The first semi rolled over before coming to rest blocking right lane westbound traffic with the bottom of the trailer facing oncoming traffic. The two other semis involved in the wreck collided with the bottom of the...
Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, Stage 1 fire restrictions will be in place for all the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland (MBRTB). This includes National Forest System lands located in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties in northwest Colorado; Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties in Wyoming. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service has communicated with all affected counties, state agencies, and neighboring federal...
The Wyoming Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) Program will stop accepting applications on October 31, according to a press release from Wyoming Department of Family Services. The federally funded, temporary emergency program to support homeowners financially impacted by COVID was started in March 2022. According to the press release, the program has distributed a total of $15.7 million in assistance to 2,056 Wyoming households that were impacted by COVID. The funds were used to catch up on delinquent mortgage payments, manage partial claim...
The Carbon County Library System is now down to seven branches following the closure of the Sinclair Branch Library on Monday. The announcement came from Maria Wenzel, executive director of the Carbon County Library System, in a press release late Thursday morning. According to the press release, the majority of the funding for the library system comes from the Carbon County Government at approximately 80%. This funding primarily goes to staffing and operations of all eight branches of the library system. Following a county budget session for...
A community meeting on property valuation, taxes, and relief will be presented by Carbon County Treasurer Lindsey West and Carbon County Assessor Renee Snider in various locations from October 7 through October 23. The discussions will involve property assessment, Wyoming property tax structure and calculations, and existing and new relief programs available to qualifying Wyoming residents. Time will be set aside to answer questions from attendees, and applications for 2024 HB0003 will be available. 2024 HB0003 is legislation involving long ter...
Town & Country Realty recently announced Broker and owner Amanda Shahadey had been elected the National Association of Realtors’ Director as Wyoming’s Small Board Representative. A National Association of Realtors’ Director has duties and responsibilities for governing the association. The association counts on directors to participate daily as issues in deliberation may impact the members’ business lives. Amanda’s responsible role beginning in January, 2025 will play in the growth and development of the association. She will be asked to...
This week, Governor Mark Gordon ordered the Wyoming State Flag to be brown at half staff at the Capitol in Cheyenne and in Carbon, Albany and Sweetwater counties. The order will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on September 28 in honor of Loren “Teense” Willford. Willford, a fourth-generation Wyoming native, served in the Wyoming Legislature from 1987-1988 representing Carbon County and again from 1993-2002 representing House District 47. He passed away on September 3 following an extended battle with cancer. He was 85 years old. Ser...
With the ballot for the 2024 General Election set, voters in Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) will have the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates running for office this year. According to a press release from the Carbon County 2 Education Association, a School Board Candidates Forum will be hosted at the Platte Valley Community Center. Of the four offices up for election this year, only one of them is a contested race. Incumbents Nick Wamsley, Joe Gaspari and Georgia Miller will be running unopposed. Elk Mountain’s Paul C...
The Wyoming Department of Health is inviting teachers, law enforcement representatives, clinicians, loss survivors, community members and other stakeholders to attend the 2024 Wyoming Suicide Prevention Symposium in Casper. The free two-day event begins at 9:30 a.m. on October 3 at the Best Western Downtown in Casper. “While we have started to see potential signs of fewer deaths in recent years, Wyoming continues to have one of the nation’s highest suicide rates,” said Rachel Nuss, Community Prevention Unit Manager with WDH. “There is a lot o...