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There was a Standing Room Only crowd gathered at the Platte Valley Community Center Auditorium the evening of December 5th, and they were treated to a wonderful concert by the students from Saratoga Elementary School. The Ugly Sweater Concert featured eight musical numbers, some narration and some entertaining choreography. Under the skilled direction of Ms. Ivy Palmer, Music and Band Teacher at SEM, the kids staged a truly enjoyable show that garnered loud applause after every number. And a sta...
Out of 15 players on the bench this season for the Saratoga Lady Panthers, Head Coach Heather Bartlett has only two returning starters, the other three having graduated last school year. That’s not to say, however, there’s any lack of experience. “Our junior class is pretty heavy with players,” said Bartlett. “So we have quite a few junior players that are coming back and giving us some good experience this year.” That returning experience is giving Bartlett some hope for this upcoming se...
Christmas magic was on full display at the 21st Annual Festival of the Trees, held at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga on December 1. According to Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Amanda Knotwell, the annual event had approximately 250 people in attendance—the highest turnout in the past five years. This year’s event also raised more than $43,000 gross with $36,875 of that from the live auction held that night. While a number of items were auctioned off between $10... Full story
The Carbon County Commissioners at its recent meeting appointed Elk Mountain resident Garrett Irene to fill a vacant seat on the Board. The position became available when Byron Barkhurst resigned with one year remaining in his term. Irene said in an interview he has lived in Wyoming his entire life. His family has lived in Carbon County since the late 1800s. Making the motion to appoint Irene, Commissioner John Johnson said Irene fills a demographic that has been missing on the Board. Irene...
The Carbon County Board of Commissioners appointed Garrett Irene to fill the seat vacated by former Commissioner Byron Barkhurst, who resigned. Irene’s term will expire in January 2025. Irene will be sworn in December 5. Prior to making their selection, the Board interviewed three candidates during their November 21 meeting. The other two candidates were Emilee Berger and Joey Correnti. Commissioner John Johnson made the motion to appoint Irene saying a “demographic has been missing” on the Board that Irene will fill. The Board approved the mot...
While there’s been plenty of statewide attention and public input on a natural resource plan for the Red Desert in neighboring Sweetwater County, Carbon County is seeking input for its 2024 Land Use Plan. In a press release, the County announced it is seeking feedback from the public as it reviews and updates the land use plan, which will help guide development for the next two decades. According to the press release, a public input survey is now available where citizens can offer their vision for the County. They can also use the survey to r...
At the November 21 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, the governing body approved the hiring of two part-time and one full-time dispatcher for the Saratoga Police Department. The two part-time dispatchers are Tiffany Moore and Tana Davi, the full-time dispatcher is Joshua Mathieu. “We’re doing the onboarding right but we’ve still got a couple of hoops to jump through to get the full-time going,” said Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris. “Then we’ll be able to put him on the schedule and start t...
The good old days – when a gallon of gas was only $1.13 and a performance by 10 leaping lords could be purchased for just more than $2,900. The year was 1984 and those Lords-a-Leaping, along with the other 11 gifts from the popular holiday carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” were making their debut in the inaugural PNC Christmas Price Index (CPI). Dating back to the late 1700s, the carol’s early verses deviate very little from the version of the song known today. Though one factor has changed...
The pandemic confirmed the critical role that small businesses play in our daily lives. It sounds cliché, but locally owned small businesses truly are the heart and soul of our cities and towns. The holiday shopping season is a crucial time for small retailers and restaurants that depend upon the boost in sales earned between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not so long ago, it was an American tradition to shop and explore at the local mega mall or vibrant small business district downtown. Brick-and-mortar businesses would promote their best deals... Full story
If you have ever attended a Church of God in Christ worship service, a Baptist service, a Roman Catholic mass, or an Orthodox service, you know that there are many different ways that people show forth their praise and worship of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A question to ponder… Do these different forms of worship all honor God? Are there any benefits of one style of worship over another. Does the style of worship in any way reflect or influence what one believes or teaches about God? For that matter, what really is the most important thi...
Today we recognize the significance of this date in the history of the United States. On Aug. 23, 1994, the United States Congress designated Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Each year on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Survivors, veterans, and visitors from all over the world come together to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The ceremonies begin with a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m.,... Full story
GILLETTE — In the past several years, wind turbines have been popping up all over Wyoming. For Jess Anderson, this raised a question that he wanted to find a better answer to: What happens to the wind turbine blades when they’re no longer usable? “I read they were burying them in landfills, and I felt like there ought to be something better to be done with them than bury them,” he said. But Jess learned it was hard to do any research on the idea. “I just found it difficult to get much informati...
Anyone who wanted a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or anyone alone for the holiday, had an option to have that meal and enjoy some company. Platte Valley Helping Hands a local non-profit organization offered Thanksgiving dinner, for no charge, at the Platte Valley Community Center on Thanksgiving Day, November 23. They also delivered meals to area homes. The volunteers working with Helping Hands last Thursday provided 173 delicious meals in our area. Helping Hands was organized in 1996,... Full story
The Saratoga Police Department was a top subject for the Saratoga Town Council during their November 21 meeting. The governing body approved hiring three new employees and discussed raises for current dispatchers. Other matters discussed by the council included the fate of the wading pool at the municipal swimming pool and brownfield studies for the old police department. PD Staffing Issues Police Chief Mike Morris made a presentation on staffing issues at dispatch services under reports from his department. Chief Morris said he has two...
When it comes to birthdays or holidays, a hand-made gift from a child will always carry a special place in the hearts of parents and grandparents. While that warm and fuzzy feeling can be great, sometimes children want the feeling of buying something for a loved one. That’s where Bridge Street Bargains and their annual Kids’ Shopping Day comes in. For the past several years, the all-volunteer thrift store has hosted a day where students from Saratoga Elementary School are able to shop for fam...
On the night of November 9, downtown Saratoga resembled something similar to a Hallmark movie as people milled in and out of businesses with shopping bags in tow as they participated in the inaugural Jingle Mingle. The shopping event was sponsored and developed by the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce and its CEO, Amanda Knotwell. According to Knotwell, the idea of the Jingle Mingle first began in September. “I was out visiting businesses and stopped in to Strong Tower Designs,” sai...
Come in out of the cold and gather at the table for a warming meal of lasagna, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drinks Monday, Dec. 4th, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the Saratoga Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, Third & Bridge streets. All are invited to enjoy a delicious, free hot meal, along with fun and fellowship at this monthly event sponsored by the “Gather at the Table” committee. The sponsoring committee urges everyone—especially the hungry, lonely, depressed and those dreading winter—to gather with friends and family to eat and cha...
Wyoming Highway 130 through the high country of the Snowy Range has officially closed for the season. Due to drifting and blowing snow, Wyoming Department of Transportation crews in Laramie and Saratoga decided current road conditions warranted closing the section of WYO 130 for the season. Also known as the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, the 12-mile section of WYO 130 tops out at more than 10,800 ft. in elevation and closes annually each fall when lack of travel and deep snow accumulations make plowing the highway impractical. The closure spans mil...
Permits may be purchased between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday from all BLM Wyoming offices except the Wyoming State Office and Newcastle Field Office. The cost for a permit is $7.50 to $10 per tree, depending on location. Up to a maximum of five Christmas trees can be purchased by an individual for personal use. The permits are also available online at https://forestproducts.blm.gov. A BLM permit is valid for trees located on BLM-administered lands only. Permits for trees on U.S. Forest Service-administered land can be obtained at you...
The Veteran’s of Foreign Wars (VFW) Voice of Democracy audio-essay scholarship program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. First established in 1947, each year nearly 25,000 9-12 grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program. Post 6125, here in the Platte Valley, recently chose...
Since the beginning of America we have always been willing to fight for what we believe in. Starting from the patriots of the late 1700’s fighting the Red Coats to create a new home, to our military battling terrorists for the past twenty years, America has never failed to inspire me. To me, to be inspiring means that you are strong, independent, and brave. These are all qualities of America and that is why the U.S is an inspiration to me. America is young but we are one of the most feared countries in the entire world. Even after our first d...
There is no patriot more noble than the American soldier. Whether active duty or a veteran, they are the physical embodiment of the word patriotism and a great representation of our democratic values. They have enough pride and love for America to give themselves to its cause. They are willing to sacrifice everything, to pay any price, and to bear any burden to defend the American ideals of liberty and equality whenever and wherever those inalienable rights may be challenged. They are willing to put their lives on the line for our Democracy. Th...
On November 4, for one day only, the hot springs at the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort weren’t the only things heating up. In the Saratoga Room, just past the Silver Saddle Room, five couples learned Argentinian Tango. The class, which was taught by Amy Beaudet and Ilya Lisenker, was sponsored by the Platte Valley Arts Council. “When I first got onto the Platte Valley Arts Council, it came up as a possibility of bringing tango to the Valley. I think one of the long-time members had brought it up...
The famed author and satirist Mark Twain once said “write what you know.” Former Saratoga local and author Sarah “S.E.” Reichert did just that with the Sweet Valley series, her newest romance trilogy. Reichert, a graduate of Saratoga High School, spoke at the Saratoga Branch Library on November 21 to a group of dedicated fans about her newest series which begins with “Raising Elle,” released in May 2023. No Place Like Home “The book is loosely based in the Valley and I think if you know your way...