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The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) encourages eligible fully vaccinated Wyoming adults to enhance and extend their protection against COVID-19 by getting a single booster dose of one of the available free, safe and effective vaccines. National experts have updated their booster recommendations to include anyone 18 and over who received their second Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine dose at least six months ago and anyone 18 and over who received a Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago. Dr. Alexia Harrist,...
Who is the ultimate authority when municipal boards are in disagreement? This was the question raised by Councilmember D’Ron Campbell during the November 16 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. As the Saratoga Municipal Airport (Shively Airfield) undergoes its apron expansion project and a rehabilitation of its entryway, the Saratoga Airport Advisory Board is looking for solutions to remove a leach field long used by the fixed-base operator (FBO). The solution preferred by the advisory board i...
The Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) are closer to placing a moratorium on energy development in the Shirley Basin following their November 16 meeting. While a resolution was presented to the commissioners, the need for further review has pushed any action back to their December 7 meeting. As wind energy projects continue to pour into Carbon County, and specifically around Medicine Bow, an ongoing study from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) appears to show a negative...
At the November 18 rescheduled meeting of Riverside Town Council, a decision was made regarding new playground equipment as well as a change in sewer tap fees. A new town website has been uploaded. Also still present on the agenda is public safety. GameTime Equipment may be the source of Riverside’s newest playground equipment. After extensive research by community member Makenzie Rakness the town council has decided to pursue the project further through the company as well as volunteer e...
While Patty Bentsen will officially retire from her position as Carbon County Treasurer effective December 3, she will remain in the position for a little longer than expected. At their November 16 meeting, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) unanimously passed Resolution No. 2021-41 appointed Bentsen as Interim Carbon County Treasurer effective December 3. Bentsen originally submitted her resignation letter on October 5, at which point it was expected a nominee would be presented...
“Shane come back… Shane… Come back…,” child actor Brandon De Wilde shouted out at the mysterious cowboy who rode into the sunrise after saving the boy’s town from bad men. It is the last words of the movie “Shane”, which was filmed entirely in Jackson, Wyoming. That was 1955 and it was the last major studio production filmed in the Cowboy state. There have been a few big budget movies, such as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, which have shot some scenes in Wyoming but the state is not us...
It is often joked that in Wyoming the wind is so prevalent, when there’s a day without it everyone in the state falls flat on their faces. This seems especially true for Carbon County, especially around Hanna and Medicine Bow. Due to the surplus of wind in the area, the past decade has seen a number of energy companies converge on the Cowboy State with wind energy projects. What has been unknown since windmills and transmission lines began cropping up, however, is the impact it has had on l...
With no additions to the agenda, and no public guests, the November 11 meeting of the Encampment Town Council had a quick .eeting. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the council started right away with the October 2021 financial statement. The council approved regular monthly bills of $22,045.69 for payroll and contracted liabilities. Moving along to updates on the Sewer Lagoon Improvement Project, the town council and Engineer Jon Nelson discussed options for improvement and safety features of...
The Hanna Town Council met on November 9 at Hanna Town Hall with Mayor Lois Buchanan present, along with council members William Dys and Sam Sikes. Council members Tracy Fowler and Jayson Norquist were absent. After the agenda and minutes from the October 12 regular meeting and October 25 special meeting were approved, a new marshal was sworn in. Ted F. Kranenberg Jr. took the Oath of Office in front of his family and the people in attendance for the meeting. Public Works Director Larry Korkow...
The Medicine Bow Town Council met on November 8 for their regular monthly meeting at the Medicine Bow Community Hall with all council members present with the exception of Dawndee Yocom. Mayor Sharon Biamon was also in attendance. After the agenda and minutes from the regular meeting of October 11 were approved the town went onto financials. Town Clerk/Treasurer Karen Heath went over the bills item-by-item for a sum of $60,666.84. The council ratified the total. Kay Embree, Medicine Bow Clinic...
Though the lower portions of the Platte Valley have experienced some slightly warmer weather in recent weeks, winter is on its way. On November 11, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) announced the seasonal closure of Wyoming Highway 130 through the Snowy Range. According to the press release from WYDOT, blowing and drifting snow combined with upcoming weather conditions and road conditions warranted closing the high country section of Wyoming Highway 130, also known as Snowy Range...
Booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech (Pfizer) and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Carbon County. Amanda Brown, Nurse Manager of Carbon County Public Health, provided the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) with a number of updates surrounding vaccines during their November 2 meeting. These included the status of booster doses in Carbon County, pediatric doses of Pfizer and their availability, and Carbon County's vaccination rate. Boosters "I've been getting a lot of questions...
The Saratoga Town Council waded into the polarized and politicized debate over vaccines on November 2 as they unanimously passed a resolution relating to vaccine requirements, despite apparent concerns expressed by legal counsel prior to the meeting. Resolution 2021-04, which was drafted by Councilmember Jon Nelson, did not appear on the agenda for the meeting but was added by the council member following the Call to Order. After reading the resolution into the record, Nelson elaborated on his...
Though the Town of Saratoga is well into the Fiscal Year 2021/2022, work is continuing on the audit for Fiscal Year 2019/2020. During the October 19 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, Mayor Creed James informed the rest of the council the audit had been “a lot more in depth” than the auditors-Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda-had originally anticipated. Due to the increased amount of work, Tim Fixter of Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda had submitted a change order as it was believed it would require an addition...
Though the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) hasn’t yet painted crosswalks at the intersections of 1st Street and Bridge Avenue, the Town of Saratoga has taken steps to address both driver and pedestrian safety. At the October 19 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, Councilmember Jon Nelson informed the rest of the governing body he had approached business owners at the intersection about extending the “No Parking” zone along 1st Street. Those businesses are Koyoty Sports, Laura...
While it may not be affordable for some people to live in Saratoga, one can spend eternity here for nearly dirt cheap prices. The low cost of burial plots at the Saratoga Cemetery was a point of discussion for the Saratoga Town Council during their October 19 meeting. According to Town Clerk Marie Christen, the current cost for a burial plot is $50. “People laugh and they want to buy 20 plots because it’s so affordable,” said Christen. “I know, when my grandma passed away a couple years ago, the...
The Encampment town Council had a busy agenda for their October 14 meeting. The possibility of a police drone was one topic of attention. Mother Mountain Anglers and Encampment Preschool Director Rachel Swanson were in attendance as well. Other guests included Carbon County Commissioners Travis Moore and Carbon County Emergency Manager Lenny Layman who were in attendance to give the council an opportunity to clarify any questions they may have about the proposed fire district. Drones Police...
The Riverside Town Council had a short agenda for their October 14 meeting. One large ticket item on the agenda was the possibility of a neighborhood watch program. Councilmember Mark Helwick brought the program to the council’s attention after a seeming increase in crime in the area. After the summer’s recent manhunt and other criminal activities the Riverside town council is looking into multiple avenues for the safety of its residents. According to their website, NNW.ORG the Neighborhood Wat...
After nearly four decades working for Carbon County, Treasurer Patty Bentsen is preparing to retire. The announcement was tearfully delivered by Bentsen during the October 5 meeting of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC). While the commissioners ultimately accepted Bentsen’s resignation, effective December 3, it was not without statements from Bentsen’s fellow elected officials. “On May 13, 1985 Mary Aydelotte gave me an opportunity to become a part of (the) Carbon County workf...
The Medicine Bow Town Council met at October 11 at the Medicine Bow Community Hall for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Mayor Sharon Biamon and three council members were present. Councilmember Lucy Schofield was absent. The Council approved the agenda and the minutes from the August 9 regularly scheduled meeting. There was no meeting in September due to COVID-19 illonesses when the meeting was scheduled. The financials for September and October were approved. The total for September...
Too few buildings and too many good employees. That appeared to be the reasoning given by the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) during their October 5 meeting when they revisited the idea of naming a county building after a former county employee. As was reported previously (see “A building by another name?” on page 1 of the October 6 Saratoga Sun), Encampment resident Gary Jacobsen appeared before the county commissioners to consider naming the road and bridge building in Enc...
The Hanna Town Council met on October 12 at the Hanna Town Hall to a packed room. Mayor Lois Buchanan was present as were council member Jayson Nordquist and council member Sammy Sikes. Council members Tracy Fowler and William Dys were absent. The council approved the agenda and minutes from the regularly scheduled meeting on September 20 and the special meeting held on September 27. Public Works Director Larry Korkow told the council CJ Mahon Construction was done with their work and Howard...
Flooding is not often a concern of Saratoga's in the fall months, as it is usually low water season. On the night of October 5, however, the Saratoga Town Council called a brief recess because water was literally flooding Spring Street in front of town hall. The culprit was a broken water main running from River Street to 1st Street. As council members and town hall staff moved their vehicles from the front of the town hall, it almost seemed like a small-scale disaster movie. Water, no longer co...
On October 1, the Hanna Marshal's office received two Individual Patrol Officer Kits (IPOK) from the Wyoming Central Healthcare Coalition (HCC). "The Central Wyoming Health Care Coalition received 150 of them and we distributed them around the area of the state that we cover," Melissa Sikes, a charter member and representative of the Central region of HCC said. "I got six for the Hanna Marshal office, two for Medicine Bow Marshal office and two for the Sheriff's office for outlying officers."...
The discussion of affordable housing returned to the chambers of the Saratoga Town Council on October 5 as Reverend Steven Niccolls addressed the governing body on behalf of the Platte Valley Ministerial Association. During the September 21 town council meeting (see “Determining the need” on page 1 of the September 29 Saratoga Sun), Councilmember Ron Hutchins raised the subject under council comments and asked if anyone in town had any information. Primary among the questions Hutchins had was...