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Despite multiple projected opening dates, the North Platte Valley Medical Center (NPVMC) is a little closer to being open with a goal of the last week of April. During a press tour in October, Mincy had predicted an opening in early January 2023. For various reason, the North Platte Valley Medical Center (NPVMC) grand opening has continually been delayed. Supply issues, parts broken in shipping and closed roads have hampered efforts by both the staff and board to open the doors of the critical...
With winter coming to a close, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting on March 7 introduced many projects which will start in the spring along with cleaning up the damage that winter has wrought. Carbon County Sheriff Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken requested approval for an emergency purchase of two duty trucks for the Sheriff’s department. The reason Bakken made an emergency request is because four vehicles went into the shop the week prior meaning the department is losing p...
The Saratoga Town Council received updates on the Saratoga Lake project from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) during their March 7 meeting. The governing body also approved the application for three grants for Never Forget Park totaling $70,000. Saratoga Lake updates Mark Cufaud, habitat and access biologist for WGFD, updated the council on the Saratoga Lake Project. In September 2022, the WGFD applied rotenone to the trout fishery which is managed by the state department in response...
An Encampment man was arrested following a family feud which resulted in more than $100,000 in damages to vehicles and equipment. According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Carbon County Sheriff's Deputy Casey Lehr, he was dispatched to Encampment on March 5 to meet with Brad Anderson regarding an incident on the night of March 3. In court documents, Brad Anderson alleged that his brother, Brian Anderson, had piled up a variety of equipment using a Caterpillar D8 dozer and included a...
The Encampment Lady Tigers plowed through the winter weather the first week in March to compete in the 1A/2A State Basketball Tournament. Entering as the No. 4 seed for the West, the Lady Tigers faced off against the Southeast Lady Cyclones, the Arvada-Clearmont Lady Panthers and the Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Lady Rattlers. All together, Encampment went 1-2 for the tournament. While the Lady Tigers didn't return home with any hardware, they had at least made it to the State Tournament...
In the summer of 2022, everything seemed to be going well for Lisa (Harper) Montez. Along with starting a family, she had a career in technology, was healthy and active and living in the state of Washington. After returning home from visiting family in Wyoming and Colorado, her health began to decline. With a month, she she knew she had to look for help. After several visits to urgent care with no progress, Montez turned to her primary care doctor. Following a broad scope of laboratory work,...
When you're hungry, you eat. When you're cold, you turn up the thermostat or build a fire in the stove. That is what the majority of us do. Sadly, this isn't the case for nearly 60,000 people in Wyoming, 1 in 8 of whom are children. It's hard to believe, but there are people in Wyoming facing the trade-off between food and heat. This dilemma has the potential to result in worsening the quality of diet for people who are already suffering, prolonging illness and in the case of the elderly, could...
Winter Storm Olive was ushered in with wind gusts topping 78 miles per hour west of Laramie and 83 miles per hour south of Casper. Blowing into Wyoming, Olive wrought havoc on transportation, supply chains, medical needs and education. The National Weather Service called for severe cold temperatures with heavy snow and high winds which came to fruition on the evening of February 20. Olive entered the east side of Wyoming, caused by a dip in the jet stream and a low-pressure system which flowed...
Two important projects for the Town of Saratoga—the sale of property to Valley Village Child Care and progress on Never Forget Park—were among the topics discussed by the Saratoga Town Council on February 21. Going, going, SOLD! Following a public hearing and an unanimous decision by the Saratoga Town Council, Valley Village Child Care and Excel Preschool will eventually have a new home in what is now the Corbett Medical Building. During the public hearing, held prior to the regular mee...
In the past, school resource officers were typically pulled from the local police department. In a historical move, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Carbon County Sheriff's Office and Carbon County School District No. 1, establishing a full-time District One School Resource Officer for the Sheriff's Office. Deputy Joel Robertson, who was worn in Monday, February 28, will become the first School Resource Officer in the history of...
Just like other teams from the Valley, the Saratoga Lady Panthers were forced by Winter Storm Olive to leave for the 1A West Regional Tournament in Lander a few days early. The weather did more than force an early departure for the Lady Panthers. Many family members were unable to attend due to closed roads, making it a sad end to the season and the final game for the senior players. Despite all of that, Head Coach Heather Bartlett said she believe the girls conducted themselves in an exemplary...
The Encampment Lady Tigers took to the road, headed for Regionals on Monday, three days early. With a winter storm warning at their heels, the Lady's didn't have much choice, The competition ahead of them was going to be tough, but they faced it with the fierce attitude that their fans have all come to expect. Lady Tigers vs. Dubois Lady Rams The Tigers first game at regionals was against the Dubois Lady Rams, and they left with a little more confidence, in a triumphic win with an 11 point...
At their February 9 meeting, the Encampment Town Council updates from the South Central Wyoming Emergency Services (SCWEMS) and various projects which would require attention once the weather clears. Slow, but steady Penny Layman, a representative for SCWEMS, updated the council on the progress of the ambulance station in Saratoga. Construction began on the addition to the Saratoga station nearly two years ago but progress has been slow. Layman reported one of the new features would be two bedro...
In the Platte Valley, it seems the name Jerry Paxton is synonymous with education. Paxton, who served as House District 47 representative from 2013 until 2022, has been involved in education since the early 1970s. For five decades, he has been involved with education with nearly 30 of those years as a teacher at Encampment K-12 School. After teaching for 27 years, Paxton became principal before retiring in 2005. Along with serving four terms in the Wyoming Legislature, Paxton also served as...
After snowmobiles were done flinging snow at the 6th Street Sprint and kids were done sledding, the evening warmed up as chips flew to end the 36th Annual Sierra Madre Winter Carnival on January 28. Casino Night, which caps the annual event, transformed Encampment Opera House into a house of luck and skill. Blackjack tables, a roulette wheel, a craps table, traditional bingo and chicken poop bingo were all offered to attendees of the fundraising event. Organized by Gayle Wessel, the majority of...
When Nick Haderlie came to the Valley with his family five years ago, he began looking for judo or jiu-jitsu classes but was unable to find anything local. His solution was to start his own martial arts group and begin training at the Saratoga Recreation Center. Platte Valley Martial Arts was born April 2018. Along with wanting to remain active, another major motivation for Haderlie in starting the program a lack of activities for younger children. He began the program with a focus on...
A few weeks ago I wrote a column about my encounter with some dunderheads that were visiting our wonderful state and weren’t happy with their experience. I got to thinking about Wyoming, and what makes me love it here so much. I spend my childhood on the west coast, and sometimes I get homesick, but not enough to move out of the Cowboy state. So, I started pondering and researching what is so appealing about Wyoming, where winter can seem a year long, and it take two hours to get to an Olive Gar...
Emergencies and emergency management were among the topics for discussion for the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) on February 7. The Carbon County Fire Protection District and the West Fork Battle Creek Watershed Plan were also discussed by the commissioners. Deputy management On December 6, Carbon County Emergency Manager Lenny Layman had requested permission to fill the deputy position within his department. Layman presented the BOCCC with a grant awarded from the Wyoming...
After several years developing new flood maps, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has finalized the documents. The maps, however, are being called into question by a former council member and the county emergency manager. Discussion about the flood map was one of several topics discussed at the February 7 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. The governing body also discussed a Transportation Alternative Master Plan, which has been spearheaded by Saratoga resident McCall Bura...
Despite a short agenda, the Riverside Town Council was able to open bids and receive updates during their February 9 meeting. South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services representative Helen Weiland was at the meeting to share updates. She said SCWEMS had received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which will be used to purchase an ambulance in Hanna. This grant also freed up money from the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) grant application for an...
The Saratoga Lady Panthers split their weekend on the road with a conference win against the Farson-Eden Lady Pronghorns on Friday and a narrow conference loss to the Cokeville Lady Panthers on Saturday. Head Coach Heather Bartlett said it is always a tough trip, but she felt really good about their performances at both schools. She said the girls came out and played with some real grit all weekend. Lady Panthers vs. Lady Pronghorns When Saratoga hosted the Lady Pronghorns in January, the Lady...
The Encampment Lady Tigers are holding onto their No. 2 spot in the 1A Southwest Conference as they head to the 1A West Regional Tournament next weekend after splitting two games on the road. On Friday, the Lady Tigers were dealt a conference loss—their third this season—by the Cokeville Lady Panthers. The following day, Encampment secured another conference win against the Farson-Eden Lady Pronghorns. The loss-win weekend puts the Lady Tigers between two sets of Lady Panthers with Cok...
Candy Moulton was recently given the True Westerner of the Year Award by True West magazine. She has written for True West for many years, sharing her own special insight into what it means to be a Westerner. Moulton said she feels honored and was very surprised to receive this kind of recognition. The author has received many awards throughout her career as both writer and film producer, but this one is kind of special, because it takes her back to her roots. Back to the beginning Moulton grew...
The Saratoga Police Department has major concerns about multiple incidents that have been reported regarding people passing school buses that are stopped to load or unload students. The police department recently posted a reminder on their Facebook page reminding drivers that it is illegal to pass a school bus with flashing red lights. The confusion seems to be when buses are loading students at the Saratoga Elementary loading area on the south side of the school. The students' exits and bus...
In a press release sent to the Saratoga Sun, Sheriff Alex Bakken said the death of a couple found in their apartment is still under investigation by the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Sheriff Bakken stated in the press release on the morning of Saturday, February 4, the Saratoga Police Department received a call for service to the 400 block of North Sharp Street for two unresponsive individuals at a residence. Deputies from Carbon County S...