Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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Hunting, fishing, floating and relaxing in the hot springs are only a few of the attractions Saratoga and the Platte Valley has to offer — resources that have gained national recognition in more than 15 publications since 2003. In 2003, Saratoga was ranked No. 1 in Travel Holiday Magazine’s “America’s 10 Best Small Towns”. Encampment also was spotted on True West Magazine’s “Top 10 True Western Towns,” in 2011. The most recent recognition, however, was Saratoga’s appearance on ArtPlace’s “Ameri...
Tom Craig, of Saratoga, passed away after a struggle with cancer on May 10, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nev. His son, Chuck Craig, was by his side. A complete obituary to follow at a later date....
A celebration of life will be held for Neal A. Ward at 11 a.m., May 28 at Valley Chapel at the Saratoga Cemetery. Neal passed away Aug. 22, 2012. A complete obituary ran in the Sept. 5 edition of the Saratoga Sun....
Elections were held May 18. The new officers for the American Legion are Mat Bruce, commander; Steve Wilcoxson, vice commander. Deborah Clark is the adjutant. John Huntley and Jim Shepherd are the executive committee members. Memorial Day activities include flag placement at 5 p.m., Friday. Memorial Day Services at 11 a.m. Monday in the Valley Chapel at the Saratoga Cemetery. A potluck lunch will follow at the American Legion Post Home and is open to the public. The American Legion is seeking volunteers to help paint the building. Contact the... Full story
The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars have memorial services planned for Memorial Day in the Platte Valley. The VFW Post 6125 is having their services at 10 a.m., Monday at the Grand Encampment Cemetery. The American Legion Post 54 is holding services at 11 a.m., Monday at the Valley Chapel at the Saratoga Cemetery. The Avenue of Flags will be on display at the Encampment cemetery beginning Friday. Volunteers with the American Legion and VFW decorate the graves of veterans with the... Full story
Although Wyoming saw increased precipitation in April, weather, firefighting and emergency response officials are still predicting a severe drought and fire season for 2013. “We did get a lot of moisture, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t help a whole bunch,” said Carbon County Emergency Coordinator John Zeiger. Last year’s drought was defined as “exceptional” on a five-level scale the National Weather Service uses to indicate drought. Exceptional is the fifth level on the scale. The worst dro...
Mother’s Day weekend I traveled to Nashville to visit my son Garry, his fiancé Mirthe (Meur-tah) and meet her parents. Nashville is a music lover’s paradise. On Broadway there is live music in every bar almost any time of the day. On the sidewalks, musicians are busking. Visitors are surrounded by talent. I stayed at the hostel Garry is working for. For those of you who have not stayed in a hostel, it is a unique experience. You meet a lot of people. Your neighbors become quick friends. At the...
Open meeting laws are in place for one reason — to protect the public and public officials. Open meeting laws are not designed to prohibit members of councils, boards or commissions from visiting with one another socially or attending other meetings. In a Planning Commission meeting, Saratoga resident Dave Worthington voiced his concern that only one town official attended a Voices of the Valley Meeting May 8. This meeting was designed to gather public input and educate the public about the impact rapid energy development could have on S...
Editor: The administrators of the Saratoga schools have decided that the elementary school and the middle high school need only a half-time librarian each. With this type of “reduction in force” district policy clearly states that the position should be filled by the most qualified and most senior staff member. While it is true that administrators may reassign staff as they see fit, it seems they should also take into consideration district policy in this matter. The needs of the students should be considered first and foremost. With this in...
Walking around town the other evening, I couldn’t help but notice the sound of frogs. Our earliest vocal amphibians are boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculate), with a sound much like running one’s fingers across a plastic comb; you can hear them at fieldguide.mt.gov/detail_AAABC05130.aspx. These one-inch frogs are generally light brown with dark brown spots. Skin color can vary and may be green, gray or red instead. The most noticeable mark is probably a long spot, almost a dark line, which extends from their nose, through the eye, to the... Full story
Community members express concerns/anticipation regarding North Platte River plan Stakeholders in the North Platte River shared opposing views in a meeting Thursday designed to explain proposed changes to the North Platte River. Bureau of Land Management representatives gave the public another opportunity to share their concerns regarding their North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) last week at the Platte Valley Community Center. The public meeting, hosted by the...
The former Planning Commission chairperson will not be applying for reappointment to the board. Public Works Director Chuck Bartlett announced at the Planning Commission meeting May 14 that Bev Hempel submitted a letter of resignation, stating that she would not be reapplying for a position on the board. “I have enjoyed my work on the Planning Commission. At this time I prefer not to be reappointed to another term,” Hempel wrote in her letter. “I appreciate you and the town staff and will conti...
A librarian’s husband approached the Carbon County School District No. 2 board of Trustees Monday night with concerns about the district’s decision to realign staff. Tom Fisher, husband to the Saratoga Elementary School librarian Ceile Fisher, asked the board of trustees why his wife was being considered to be a fifth-grade teacher when she is “highly qualified” to be a librarian for the district. “She has been the librarian in this district for the last 19 years,” Fisher said in the meeting...
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the burglary of eight firearms from a residence south of Saratoga. Investigating officials think the burglary occurred between 10:30 a.m. Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The burglar, or burglars, stole a stainless steel Ruger Blackhawk .357 magnum pistol, stainless steel Ruger Blackhawk .22 pistol, Marlin model 25 mn .22 magnum bolt action rifle, a black Remington model 1100 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, a stainless steel Ruger model 77, 7 mm Remington magnum, bolt action rifle with a stainl... Full story
Saratoga resident Carl Pigg has an unique hobby. Hoping to beautify Saratoga’s Cadwell Cemetery, which includes headstones dating back to the 1880s, Pigg has volunteered several hours cleaning, maintaining and adding to the burial grounds in any way possible. He said he started cleaning the cemetery about two or three years ago, focusing first on the large amount of sagebrush that had accumulated over the years. “I asked the town and cemetery board about it, and they didn’t care if I clean...
The Saratoga-Encampment Drama Club is ready to entertain audiences with its own take on the classic tale, “The Princess and the Pea.” The production, retitled “The Pea Test: The Real Story of the Princess and the Pea,” includes Saratoga and Encampment youth from seventh through 12th grade. Volunteer directors include Wendy Barkhurst, Greg Bush and Gayle Wessel. Barkhurst said everyone has a great time rehearsing their own rendition of the fairytale at the Platte Valley Community Center each we...
Encampment High School’s 2013 track season has been an unexpectedly wild ride for freshman Alyssa Barkhurst. Even with a recent arm injury that required a cast, Barkhurst became the 1A State Champion in the 100 meter dash (first place with a time of 13.24) and 200 meter dash (first place with a time of 26.71) at last weekend’s 2013 Wyoming High School State Track Tournament in Casper. Barkhurst said she was surprised that she could achieve two state champion titles at her very first state hig...
With four athletes who placed in the Top 10, Encampment High School track coach Kegan Willford looks back on the Wyoming High School State Track Tournament as a meet well-performed. Willford said he was quite proud of his Top 10 placers, which included two-time 1A State Champion Alyssa Barkhurst. As a freshman in her first high school state track tournament, Barkhurst fought the odds and received first in two events at state. “Alyssa Barkhurst was our first place (state champion) for this y...
Two Saratoga High School relay teams walked away with first-place victories at last weekend’s Wyoming High School State Track Tournament in Casper. For the 1600 meter relay, Ben Gates, Rodrigo Escobedo, Ben Falk and Luke Lineberry achieved first place with a winning time of 3:33.68, and for the 3200 meter relay, Gates, Escobedo, Cameron Collamer and Daniel Kerbs secured a first-place time of 8:31.21. “We had some pretty good relays with some quality runners, and the boys in the 3200 meter relay...
May 22, 1913 100 years ago “The Freshmen” at Hanna Miss Purvis, the principal of the public school, and the High school room, has gotten up a play “The Freshmen” which will be given here at the Commencement exercises in the hall at 8 o’clock on the evening of the 29th. The play was taken to Hanna last Friday and put on at the Hanna opera house to a good big crowd and was much enjoyed. The baseball team from the school here played the Hanna school boys and lost by a score of 12 to 6, in the afternoon. Miss Purvis, Mrs. Ekdall and Rev. Newport a... Full story
There were six people here for Bingo Tuesday. Two-dollar winners were Janet Lasco, Berneil McCord, and Pat Faust. Berneil McCord won the $5 blackout round. There were only six people for Bridge on Monday. First place was Bob Johnson , second place went to Gertrude Herold. We are always happy to deliver a meal if you are under the weather or have just been in the hospital. Please give us a call at 326-5564 and we will do our best to help you out. If you are 60 or older, or the spouse of someone 60 or older, you are eligible to join us for lunch...
At Deseret Health and Rehab, residents enjoyed many activities throughout the week. The Activity Department offers a wide variety of activities each week to meet the residents’ interests, as well as the physical, mental and psychological well-being of each resident. We celebrated National Nursing Home Week with a special activity each day. On Sunday afternoon, 19 residents had a Mother’s Day party with various goodies, pink lemonade and poetry. On Monday afternoon, residents launched helium balloons. On Tuesday morning, residents played a new g...
Each of the participating HEM Miners made a top 10 placement and scored at least one medal from last weekend’s Wyoming High School State Track Tournament in Casper. Top-three placers included Trevor Rice, who scored second place in the 800 meter run and third in the 400 meter run, and Haley Clark, who placed third in the discus throw. Coach Jackie Jones said she was glad to see her athletes perform to their full potential and outdo their own personal bests. “The 16 athletes who proudly represent...
Many high school track stars from all over the state gathered at the massive Kelly Walsh Stadium over the weekend, hoping to outdo competitors and top their own personal bests in a variety of track and field events. Our young, fiery athletes from Saratoga, Encampment and HEM high schools competed their hearts out and reminded us older folks of the magic and importance of high school sports from our younger years. Watching our local youth sweat, grit their teeth, smile, cheer and even accept...
Helping to educate more on seatbelt safety, the Wyoming Highway Patrol is currently participating in the nationwide May Mobilization Seat Belt Enforcement campaign. The campaign began Monday and ends at midnight June 2. It focuses on “High Visibility Enforcement” during the Memorial Day Holiday period. Officers across Wyoming and the United States are uniting their efforts in an attempt to reduce the number of unrestrained fatalities and injuries. “The best way for us to accomplish this task is to take a zero tolerance stance toward those drive... Full story