Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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The Saratoga Town Council failed to appoint a member to the upcoming vacancy on the Carbon County Visitors' Council (CCVC) at the May 21 meeting. Per the Carbon County website, the purpose of the board is to "to promote local travel and tourism within Carbon County and its municipalities and to receive and expend the revenues from the excise tax on lodging services." Members of the council are appointed by several separate municipalities in Carbon County, as well as one appointment from the...
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...
Bub Barhurkhust, who was appointed to the Saratoga Town Council on May 7, met with the Sun to share his reasons for applying for appointment and what he hopes to accomplish on the council. The council had a vacant seat in February due to the untimely passing of Jacob Fluty. Barkhurst, owner of Barkhurst Collision Center, was one of two people to send a letter of interest to fill the open seat. In his letter to the council, Barkhurst wrote “as a long time resident and business owner of this commu...
Patricia “Susan” Speer of Becker, MN, formerly of Kerrville, TX and Saratoga, WY, passed away on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the age of 80. She was born on April 9, 1944, in Ada, OK. Susan moved as a child where she grew up in her beloved state of Texas. Susan graduated from high school in London, England in 1962, where she was living abroad with her family. She talked of her time in England with such fondness, it’s no wonder why her favorite shows were “The Crown” and “Downton Abbey”. Susan wor...
The North Platte Valley Medical Center (NPVMC) received last week a long-awaited Critical Access Hospital Certification Letter from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter indicates that CMS has reviewed and approved that NPVMC meets the location and distance requirements to become a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). NPVMC may now seek initial CAH Medicare certification via DNV Healthcare USA Inc., an internationally recognized accreditor, which entails an in-depth survey of...
“Best free meal in the country,” boasts a satisfied patron with a full tummy at the last Gather at the Table supper. He further promised, “I’ll be back next month.” That happy diner, along with everyone else, is invited to “Gather at the Table” for a free meal and fellowship Monday, June 3rd, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Saratoga Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall at the corner of Third and Bridge Streets in downtown Saratoga. On the menu is stir fried glazed pork with broccoli as well as buttered rice, ramped-up baked mac-n-cheese,...
The second reading of the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year Budget passed in title only at the May 21 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. Ordinance No. 869 provides the details of the budget. Estimated revenues are based upon the previous year and are prepared using the Budget Preparation Handbook created by the Wyoming Association of Municipalities. For the general fund, $3,395,844.43 is anticipated in revenue. $2,244,408.20 is anticipated to come from taxes. According to the Saratoga Town Treasurer Cori...
I am endlessly fascinated by the mechanics beyond rhetorical argumentation and how we convince others that we are in the right. I spent about four years of my life where competitive debate was my primary focus - one year in high school, and two and a half years in college. Participating on both high school and collegiate debate teams has given me the love of breaking down arguments, and my experience in the activity was at the forefront of my mind when I got to attend the Judicial Learning Day...
Who best represents what Saratoga is? This is the question we at the Saratoga Sun find ourselves asking following the May 21 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council in which they refused to fill a vacancy on the Carbon County Visitors’ Council Board of Directors. With a month to fill the vacancy, weeks of advertising and a deadline of May 31 a motion to appoint the sole applicant—McCall Burau—failed due to lack of a second. When Councilmember Kathy Beck, who made the motion, asked why there wasn’t a second, Councilmember Jerry Fluty explain...
It’s common in this modern age for religious seekers to comb the Bible for passages that promise endless blessings. People love to hear messages about God protecting His children from danger and suffering, and how He wants to give us everything we dream about. The problem is this is not exactly why the Christian life was established. Christians should read and study the Bible daily, while keeping everything in context is critical to understanding more clearly to what God is saying. It’s true that He loves us, but even in His endless com...
This Memorial Day I find myself reflecting on the people in my life that have passed on. In a newspaper article I cannot say enough to do justice to them. Ultimately, I settle on my grandfathers who served in the Army and the other served in the coast guard during World War II. They had passion about their country and their ability to fight for their freedoms and the freedom of us all. Jehovah in the Old Testament said “He shall say: “Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be ter...
The Town of Saratoga Recreation Director Kim Hemenway resigned during the May 21 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. Hemenway gave a report to the council during the meeting and discussed issues involving preparing the pool for the summer season. After her report, Hemenway gave the council a notice of resignation, saying her final day would be June 14. She thanked the Town for the opportunity of being employed there and the experience she gained from the position. She finished by asking the co...
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...
On Monday, many community members came together at the Encampment Cemetery to be a part of a Memorial Day tradition. Memorial Day was first celebrated under the name of Waterloo on May 5, 1866. From there it spread across the nation. On May 5 1868, General John A. Logan created Declaration Day which was to be held on the 30th of May. Then, in 1971, Memorial Day as we know it was made a federal holiday to be held on the last Monday of May. A ceremony, put on by VFW post 1625, was held in honor...
Photos by Richard Espinoza The summer-like weather allows members of American Legion Post 54 hold their Memorial Day Service at Saratoga Cemetery on May 27 without any concern for the unseasonable weather experienced in the Valley recently....
The Saratoga Partners had an amazing Track and Field season and finished regionals and state on a positive note. The Girls and Boys gave it their all and did all that they could to make the season memorable. Saratoga Track and Field headed to Casper to compete in the 1A State Track and Field Championship over May 16-18. While neither of the teams came away as champions, there were some individual victories and some record-breaking performances for the Saratoga Panthers. Saratoga Girls Varsity...
The Saratoga Middle School track and field team has many rising stars who could be the future for the high school program. One athlete in particular is 8th grader Brody Johnson, who has broken four school records at Saratoga Middle School. Johnson competed in Lander where he broke the Best of the Best record in the 200 meter dash. Johnson also broke state records for the best time for the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and 200-meter hurdles. Johnson said this track meet was the best of the entir...
Saratoga and Encampment graduates applied for and earned a large number of scholarships their senior year as they prepare to further their education. What follows is a list of students and their scholarships. Thanks to Amy Johnston at Saratoga Middle High School and Brooke Bodar at Encampment K-12 School for the list. Saratoga Tucker Carricato - Tarleton - Ag Communications Tarleton - Rodeo Scholarship High School Rodeo Championship Scholarships SMHS Rodeo Scholarship American Hats Scholarship Aidan Clarke - Working career at Valley Foods...
A sign of summer in the Valley, even despite the unseasonable weather recently, is the opening of the Wyoming Highway 130, or Snowy Range Scenic Bypass, and Wyoming Highway 70, or Battle Pass. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) announced the opening of both seasonally-closed sections for the summer on May 23. According to a press release from WYDOT, work on the 23-mile stretch of highway between Encampment and Baggs began in early May with the use of multiple rotary plows,...
Fifth graders from across the county took a field trip to the Carbon County Courthouse to participate in a mock trial on May 21. Students from Rawlins, Saratoga and Baggs participated in the mock trial to learn about the judicial system with two groups at the courthouse. One held their trial at 9 a.m. and the other at noon. During the mock trial itself, students were given different roles, with some students given scripts and acting as witnesses, and others becoming members of the jury. The...
Get ready to witness the raw power in powersports at the 2nd Annual Snowy Range ATV/UTV Pull at the Whistle Pig. Every competitor who rides all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) will put their machines to the test and see if they can meet the challenge of how far they can pull a weighted sled. According to Dan Jones, one of the event organizers, the ATV/UTV pull is almost like a tractor pull but the machines involved pull a smaller load. Jones said contestants in the...
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