Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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I recently had the opportunity to welcome the Encampment K-12 School 3rd grade class at the Saratoga Sun office and I can’t speak highly enough of these young students. At the beginning of this school year, Rayna Greenwood—who is the new 3rd grade teacher—had emailed me about a field trip to the Saratoga Sun. I was ecstatic as I’ve always welcomed the opportunity to talk about this newspaper and the industry itself. I’ve given tours of the office to people just coming th...
Several students were recognized at the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees meeting Monday night for their sportsmanship during games by the Wyoming High School Athletic Association (WHSAA). CCSD2 Superintendent Darrin Jennings told the school board of trustees he received the letters from the WHSAA and believed they should be recognized publicly. Josie Little, who attends Saratoga Middle High School (SMHS), was recognized by a referee during the...
The Encampment Lady Tigers pulled out two wins and one loss last week. Even with the loss against Cokeville, the Lady Tigers walked off the court Saturday afternoon knowing one thing—Cokeville can be beat. Encampment vs. HEM On October 15, the Lady Tigers (4-3) won three sets against the Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow (HEM) Lady Miners (1-8) at Hanna. While the Lady Miners are not in the same conference as the Lady Tigers, they both in Carbon County School District No.2. H...
BAGGS-This town of 400 residents on the banks of the Little Snake River in south-central Wyoming has a school, a grocery store, a post office and a hotel with a restaurant and bar. Sometimes there's a food truck. But when it comes to health care, residents now have two options: calling 911 or driving at least 40 miles to the nearest town with a clinic or hospital. That's because, as of last month, Baggs' only clinic closed its doors, leaving residents without any local...
On Tuesday, September 17 the volleyball gym turned the color of teal in honor and in remembrance of Laurie Johnston, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer in August. Laurie was a coach in Saratoga and Encampment for over 40 years and was a referee for many of the volleyball games. Coach Shayley Love, Athletic Director Greg Bartlett and booster club volunteer Karen Condict felt the Valley competition would be the perfect opportunity to show Johnston honor and respect. Coach...
It may come as a shock to members of Gen Z, but there was once a way to communicate with others before the days of social media. Over the past few weeks, the Saratoga Sun’s opinion page gave a preview of how that once looked as we received at least one Letter to the Editor a week since the end of August. I was absolutely delighted to see a letter come through the mail or email because it showed that people were invested in their community. Letters on the topic of “Where the...
Preparing and mending county roads, vaccines and winter preparedness, and health of the Memorial Hospital of Carbon County were some of the hot topics at the Board of Carbon County Commissioners' (BOCCC) meeting on October 1 at the Courthouse Annex in Rawlins. Improve For Next Year Road and Bridge Coordinator Kandis Fritz presented plans to improve roads in Carbon County by seeking funding for Magnesium Chloride on multiple county roads. In 2001, a study was conducted with Engineering Associates giving an estimated $2...
There are probably few faces as recognizable as that of Josh Craig. With a handlebar mustache and a smile which never seems to leave his face, Josh seems to be almost everywhere in the Valley. Josh, like others closely involved in their community in the Platte Valley, wears multiple hats. He works for Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) as the district facilities supervisor while based at Encampment K-12 School. As cliche as it might sound, it’s a job that Josh says h...
With the school year well underway across Wyoming, both Governor Mark Gordon and Superintendent Megan Degenfelder are encouraging school districts to re-examine their policies regarding student cell phones. In a joint letter, Gordon and Degenfelder wrote, “While smartphones have the potential to enhance the learning process, growing evidence suggests that excessive, unregulated use during school hours can lead to declines in academic performances and increase in classroom d...
Following its work session before their regular meeting on September 16, the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees has formed a working group to work on a concealed-carry policy for district employees. This process, following state statute passed in 2017, is happening at the same time the Joint Judiciary Committee is proposing yet another bill to repeal gun-free zones in Wyoming. The most recent attempt, House Bill 125, passed both chambers of the Legislature...
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...
Photo by Joshua Wood All volleyball fans were encouraged to wear teal at Tuesday night's match in Saratoga to honor Laurie Johnston, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer last month. Laurie was involved in the community for more than 40 years, coaching volleyball and track, refereeing volleyball games, working as an aide at the Saratoga Schools and served on the Carbon County School District No. 2. Announcer Larry Cloyd let the audience in a moment of silence before the...
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...
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 associati...
“This is a really heavy topic and nobody wants to be having this conversation, but I do think it’s in our best interest to have these discussions and make decisions on our own behalf.” A closing comment from Kassey Westring, chairman of the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustees, summarized a nearly hour long discussion at their pre-meeting work session on September 16. The topic, which included both Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken and Encampment Polic...
Parents send their children to school each morning with the expectation that they will safely return home each afternoon. We entrust their safety to the teachers and staff of their respective schools with the understanding that they care for our children as much as we do. Over the past several years, we have seen school shooting after school shooting where teachers literally laid down their lives to protect their students. In the past five years, the Wyoming Legislature has attempted to repeal all gun-free zones in the state... Full story
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of stories of fire mitigation in the Medicine Bow National Forest. More than 30 people attended the Sierra Madre Fire Preparedness meeting September 9 at the Encampment Opera House. Lenny Layman, Carbon County Emergency Management Coordinator, organized the meeting with several county and local entities as a panel to explain their coordination when and if there is a fire. Layman said he decided to organize the panel because r...
With a resonant voice and a beaming smile on his face, to say Loren “Teense” Willford had a presence in the Valley and beyond would be an understatement. “You can’t fully understand Teense unless you were one of his friends and, of course, everybody was his friend [in] one way or the other,” said former governor Jim Geringer. “If you didn’t get along with Teense, it wouldn’t take long before you did.” Teense passed away early on the morning of September 3 following a long... Full story
by D'Ron Campbell and Joshua Wood and Richard Espinoza No stranger to the Valley, Jake Johnston has taken a new leadership role at Encampment K-12 School beginning this school year with the retirement of Mike Erickson after 19 years with Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2). Johnston started his experience in a leadership role at Encampment K-12 as the acting principal for an interim period before Erickson fully retired. Johnston graduated from Saratoga High School in...
Commitment to education in the classroom was the biggest factor for Saratoga Elementary School 3rd grade teacher Heather Strannigan’s recognition as this year’s Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Teacher of the Year. Strannigan graduated from Saratoga Middle High in 2014 and has taught at Saratoga Elementary School for seven years. “When I was in high school, I had an opportunity to be a student aide in a kindergarten class here at Saratoga Elementary Schoo...
The new school year is now here and I would like to take this time to reach out to both students and parents about the importance of making a new friend. When I first moved to Wyoming, I was scared to make new changes in my life. I wanted to know if people would be kind to me or not. Then I discovered how kind and friendly the people in the Platte Valley are. Every morning when I go to work, some stranger would say good morning to me. Whenever I go shopping some people would...
Bailey Miller 5th Grade - Encampment K-12 School Bailey Miller is one of three Encampment alum returning to the hallways, having graduated from Encampment K-12 School in 2017. She will be teaching 5th grade, the role previously held by Principal Jake Johnston. “I have a bachelor’s in elementary education. I started in Casper and did two years there and I was on the rodeo team. Then I went to the University of Wyoming where I continued my education and was on the rodeo tea...
A public hearing on short term rentals (STRs) at the August 13 meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commision saw fiery discussion from a packed crowd. Many members of the public participated in the hearing, giving reasons both for and against regulation of STRs. Discussion on this issue originally began in 2023, when the Planning Commission considered creating an ordinance to limit the number of STRs in Saratoga. The proposed ordinance was tabled after Town Attorney Kylie Waldrip...
When going to the Carbon County Fair, it’s a given that you have to enjoy the fair food. The grounds hold a wide variety of vendors who spend the week at the fair, from various food trucks to people in stands selling lemonade outside the exhibit hall. The concessions stand is a mainstay, offering a wide variety of foods to fair goers. The stand is run on a volunteer basis, with all proceeds going to Carbon County School District No. 1 (CCSD1). Students from CCSD1 work at t...
Valley residents saw new and returning candidates for the Board of Carbon County Commissioners participate in the Valley Service Organization (VSO) public forum on July 9 in preparation for the 2024 election. The candidates running for the three open seats are Gwynn Bartlett, Sue Jones, Jimmy Hinkle, John Espy and Garrett Irene. Jones, Espy and Irene all currently serve as commissioners and are running for reelection. Irene did not attend the forum. Patterson began the forum...