Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 236
On June 24, Encampment became the 12th location in the state of Wyoming to host a Blue Star Memorial Marker. In doing so, the Encampment Dirt Diggers Club continued a tradition which has carried on since 1945. As representatives of VFW 6125 presented the Colors to mark the beginning of the dedication ceremony for the Blue Star Memorial Marker, the choir sang The Star Spangled Banner. The Encampment Community Choir sang a moving rendition of "Salute to the Armed Forces"...
On Monday, crew members from the Town of Saratoga were using powerwashers to clean algae and grime from the bottom of the Saratoga Municipal Pool in preparation for filling. "It takes a few days to clean it thoroughly, about 14 hours to fill it and 10 days for it to equalize," said Whisper Brunch, Saratoga pool manager. According to Bunch, the pool has enough lifeguards to open. They don't have enough, however, to offer as many water aerobics and swim classes as have been...
Three Carbon County Museums are included on the schedule of historian Michael Amundson, the University of Wyoming Press’ (UWyoP) first author, who is touring Wyoming this month to present a program featuring UWyoP’s first book, “The Art and Life of Merritt Dana Houghton in the Northern Rockies, 1878-1919.” Initial presentation in the county will be Monday, June 26, at 6:00 p.m. in the Grand Encampment Museum at 807 Barnett Ave. in Encampment, followed by a program Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Little Snake River Museum at 12 Co...
Over Father's Day weekend, the Encampment valley was filled with the sounds of applause, the roar of chainsaws and the whinnies of horses. They eventually all faded away following the 62nd Woodchoppers' Jamboree and Rodeo at the Encampment-Riverside Lions Club Arena. Hundred of visitors arrived to the small villages of Encampment and Riverside, ready to enjoy a weekend of entertainment and fun. The melodrama "An Orphan Betrayed," performed by the ever-skillful Grand Encampment...
The night is quiet, with snow drifts reaching the window sills. Streets are filled with slush, freezing quickly as the outside temperature drops below zero. A cough and a wheeze breaks the silence and a mother's hand brushes her child's feverish brow. Fear grips her heart when she sees the readout of 103 on the thermometer. The child coughs again, struggling to take a breath, whimpering weakly. Only a few short weeks ago, this mother's only choice would have been to call an am...
Life is full of changes, as I've mentioned in my columns of the past. Well...here comes another change in my life. I've decided to step back from editor/publisher and return to reporting, writing, photographing and spending time with friends and family. Josh has taught me so much about publishing a newspaper, and some of it has enhanced my life already. Learning is my favorite thing to do, so I happily latched on to all the new skills I could, but now, it's time to back off a...
In the wee hours of the morning on June 2, some residents of the North Platte Valley were jostled from their slumber when a Magnitude 3.9 earthquake rumbled through the area. Although not uncommon for Wyoming, it is uncommon for the Valley residents to feel them. Another quake with a magnitude of 3.2 occurred in nearly the same area less than 24 hours later. Many residents said they didn't feel it, while others heard the rumble and felt the shake. No damage was reported, excep...
Each year the Valley Service Organization (VSO) presents two awards, one for a Woman or a women of distinction who have contributed to the North Platte Valley with their commitment to bettering the community by volunteering their time and efforts. This year, Stacy Crimmins was given this award. Crimmins’ list of accomplishments is pages long. Crimmins served with the Platte Valley Saratoga Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. She also developed the Hometown Hero program, L...
A tiny trail of smoke rises from the man's cupped hands as he gently blows a steady stream of air into the nest of frayed jute and char cloth he holds. Urging the little red spark in the black square of cloth to ignite, a flame soon flares up and the man gently places the bundle under a teepee of twigs waiting on the ground in front of him. The wows and quiet applause coupled with a few "I want to do that" remarks, murmur through the little group sitting in a circle around...
In the fall of 2022 Wyoming Game and Fish applied 14,000 pounds of rotenone to the Saratoga lake. When they took samples from the lake in October, there were no fish according to the biologists, and they called the project complete. Along with killing illegally introduced yellow perch, the pesticide also eliminated thousands of white suckers and invasive brook sticklebacks. Rotenone is non-selective so it killed off all the trout in the lake which accounted for about 20...
When sustainable healthcare became a concern for the Upper North Platte Valley six years ago, it wasn't long before the Corbett Medical Foundation (CFM) formed a subcommittee to address the issue. After approaching Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC) and Ivinson Memorial Hospital (IMH) to partner with the struggling Platte Valley Clinic, they couldn't reach an agreement. A temporary agreement was reached with Health Management systems (HMS). The North Platte Valley...
Pickle ball was once again on the agenda at Encampment's town council meeting on May 11. Peggy Huntley had brought it to the council at the last meeting, asking if they could clean up the tennis court at the Encampment School in order to make them useable for a pickle ball court. Councilman Steve Reichert voiced his concern about storing equipment in town council lobby. The town council agreed to clean up the tennis courts once the summer help is established, but they want...
With the rise of the rivers over the past few days, residents of the Upper North Platte Valley are worried. Flooding has occurred in Saratoga and Encampment in the past, the last time it became very serious was 12 years ago. In 2010, peak flow was 16,100 cfm according to NOAA documents. In 2011, flow was 16,700 cfm, and in 2014 it was 14,700 cfm. Flood mitigation is always at the top of the list of concerns after a "real" winter spends it's time in the Valley. Saratoga Mayor...
Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken was the first to speak with the Commissioners. He asked the Commissioners for an approval on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town of Saratoga and Carbon County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase and transfer of ownership of used Motorola Dispatch Consoles at $10. New consoles have been installed at the CCSO.MOU approved. Bakken reported they’re helping Wyoming Game and Fish with patrolling high traffic shed collection areas tha...
Dreams really do come true, and Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers band can attest to it. On Saturday night, April 22, this group of performers walked onto the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. An institution that represents country music at its finest. An invitation to perform takes hard work and dedication and is considered a high honor. Chancey started the Younger Brothers Band with Travis DeWitt in November 1998 in Moorcroft, Wyoming. Things have changed over the years...
As Spring peels back the icy fingers of Winter, we are all taking a step back and breathing a little sigh of relief, at least for the moment. The clean, crisp air is filled with bird songs, ducks, geese and leaf blowers. Wait a minute, what? Waterways and lakes are filling quickly with melting snow, snow drifts have receded to reveal all the bits and pieces that blew into the yard or up against the fence during winter's blast through Wyoming. With the blessings of so much...
School music programs are struggling everywhere, and Saratoga's schools are no different. Shirley Hillyard, President of the Platte Valley Arts Council (PVAC) reached out to Ivy Palmer, the band instructor for Saratoga elementary and middle school, asking if they needed anything. Hillyard said, "I soon realized that the need was far greater than I had anticipated." She was told that the funds needed were approximately $7000.00. Hillyard said PVAC has funds available and they...
Encampment Town Council proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sewer Lagoon Project Jon Nelson, Northfork Engineering presented the Council with contracts for the mayor’s signature from American West Construction for the sewer lagoon project. Approved by the council. A notice to proceed was also approved by Council. Nelson also told the council that there may be up to $100,000.00 presented in a change order at the next Council meeting from the contractor. This w...
Saratoga Recreation Center and Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce collaborate for an amazing event that raised funds that will be earmarked at the May 2 Recreation Board meeting. Sarah Laughlin, the director of the Recreation Center said there were roughly 15 volunteers. She said that there were volunteer representatives from the recreation center, Saratoga and Encampment High Schools, as well as the Kiwanis, Gayle Crignan and Carol Kelley. Despite the weather on Saturday,...
Emergency dispatchers at Saratoga Police Department will no longer be limited to verbal communications with callers. A new technology provided by the Prepared Live system, has the ability to access callers’ cellphone cameras. Once a caller is connected with a dispatcher, a link will be sent to the caller’s phone. Upon accepting the link the dispatcher will be able to view the scene through the caller’s phone camera, in real time. The system not only records what is happe...
The idea of spring cleaning seemed so doable when I was sitting in my bed on Saturday evening, jotting down a few to-donotes. I like to live in a some what clutter-free environment, it gives me a feeling of peace when I come home. From my closets to my mind, cleaning out the detritus, making room for more useful items. This last weekend I began my cleaning frenzy in the garage. Over the winter, empty boxes and chicken feed bags had piled up everywhere because I wasn't willing...
Lewis and Lewis are back to work on the Spring Avenue project. The contractors are hoping to have everything completed within the next few weeks but there will be some inconvenience to those driving through the area. Mayor Chuck Davis said the road closed signs need to be obeyed, which hasn't happened over the winter. While Town personnel and the contractors will be going around the signs to do their jobs it does not mean the public is welcome to do the same. One area will...
At the February 7 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, the governing body announced they would be challenging the updated flood maps released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency over discrepancies and inaccuracies. According to Risk MAP Program Manager Maddie Pluss, since the release of the draft maps in 2020, the Town of Saratoga had not reached out to FEMA before now. The FEMA Flood RISK MAP Program is an effort to update flood hazard information for communities...
Updates on the lagoon project and a request for Riverside to tie-in to the Encampment water system were the main topics of discussion for Encampment Town Council on March 9. Dan Jago, a representative for the Sierra Madre Water Joints Power Board, told the council Riverside has found the source of a water leak and were hoping to start repairs on April 3. Riverside is asking for permission to tie into the Town of Encampment's water for approximately two weeks. "Once the repair...