Sorted by date Results 1299 - 1323 of 1447
Editor, I love the North Platte River; most likely as much as you do but our river is under attack and always will be. The pressure to use fresh water resources is always in demand and we must be diligent to fight against corporations and politicians to control our precious resources, water quality and way of life. Three separate issues pertaining to the North Platte are on the table that will have impacts on “our” river for many decades. 1) The BLM RAMP plan. 2) The 1 1/2 mile restoration plan through Saratoga. 3) The town of Saratoga’s attem...
After spending Thanksgiving with family members in the big city, I realized just how much I have changed as a person. Of course, I’m referring to the fact that now I prefer simple, small-town life over happening, more exciting big-city life. I’m sure the question on everyone’s mind is “Why?” Most of you know by now that I grew up in heavily populated California, and had only lived in or near big cities before moving to Saratoga nearly a year ago. So, one would naturally think that after whe...
Two weeks ago the town was decorated with festive lights in preparation for the holidays. Two groups are responsible for making our town festive — The Saratoga Lions Club and the Valley Service Organization. This weekend the season will officially kick off with Festival of Trees, the Light Parade and Winter Wonderland. Without volunteers, these events would not happen. The Chamber sponsors the Festival of Trees, and for 11 years, the community has come through by donating decorated trees, wreaths and baskets. For those same 11 years, the c...
Editor, I have been attending school board meetings for a number of years. While I am convinced that each board member is a sincere dedicated individual, I have less and less hope for the future of public education. As one board member said at a meeting, they spend very little time discussing anything that really matters. The latest example of this is the emphasis they are placing on the hiring of a new superintendent. Even to the point of spending tax dollars to hire someone to tell them how to do it. The reality is that, under our present...
We stare at them with sympathy and mockery; always treating them differently. All disabled people need is to be treated fairly. We watched as they pounded the ball in her face on purpose, then turned and high-fived and laughed. The Little Snake River Valley junior varsity volleyball team was targeting my teammate. The girl on my team stood there trying her best to pass the ball up; she was one of our weakest players yet she also had a disability. The way LSRV was hitting at her was entirely unsportsman-like; they’d pound it at her and then m...
Who let the dogs out, and I don’t mean that sarcastically. The town of Saratoga is plagued by troublesome pooches and snappy police officers that are taking this town to the dog park. This problem is dog owners everywhere because they’re not taking very good care of their dogs, and are constantly having to shell out hundreds of dollars to please the general public. These dogs have a feeling that they have to bark and cause trouble to get attention and its affecting other people more than just the owners. Those people need to take better car...
I have enjoyed writing for the Saratoga Sun, and reporting on the town and meeting some awesome people. But, my time in Saratoga is coming to a close. By the time you read this, I will be preparing to leave Saratoga to begin my new job as publisher for the Pine Bluffs Post in Pine Bluffs, Wyo. I want to thank the Saratoga Sun for giving me a chance to write, and I want to thank Stevenson Newspapers for giving me an opportunity to move on in the industry. The first story I reported on while...
It is a season to be thankful. One group of people who often get overlooked are the town employees. Monday morning, the streets crew for the town of Saratoga had the roads closed on First Street while a tree was being removed from the St. Barnabas Church property. The tree had two cables on it to ensure that it would fall in the right direction. Along with the tree removal team were the town of Saratoga employees making sure that everything went as planned. In October, Saratoga was hit with a huge storm, one that damaged trees and brought...
Editor, I spent last Tuesday evening and Wednesday with the Wyoming Association of Municipalities board interviewing 5 potential candidates for the position of Executive Coordinator of WAM. The WAM board was divided into four separate panels and each candidate had to go before each panel. Part of the interview process was they had to present to the WAM board issues surrounding HB 0085 which dealt with the buffer zones surrounding towns. They all five basically identified the main problem was lack of communications between the municipalities...
Editor, I really think it is discriminatory to single out home-schooled students to pay an addition $100 for their student to represent their local high school in athletics. Does it really cost the WHSAA more for the home-schooled students to compete in their local school? It is not like they are forming their own team or representing homeschooling in general. They do not have a special uniform singling them out. They are playing for the pride of their local school and community and our school district already gets our tax dollars for these...
Editor, The questions of what Obama and the Democratic parties intentions toward America are is now clear. With the so-called nuclear option, any semblance of a free republic is gone. We are now a socialist democracy. The rules of our senate and legislature were designed to make sure the minority always has a voice. To avoid the tyranny of the majority. That has been lost. Not only does Obama now have free reign on Obamacare, he can now move ahead on anything on which he can garner the senate votes. There seems to be no limit to that, and I...
When people ask me where I’m from they are always astounded by my response. I always get the same questions; Why would you move here? Is it different? Do you like it? The truth is I love everything about this town; it’s better than any big city. For the past seven years I have been living in Colorado Springs, Colo. I just recently move to the lovely town of Riverside, which is a huge adjustment compared to Colorado Springs. The population of Colorado Springs is 426,388, which is 8,199 times larger thanthe town I’m living in now. In fact, there...
The wind is blowing. Again. Here in Carbon County there is a lot of wind, and as many of you know, it is proposed that a wind farm be put in south of Rawlins. Known as the Chokecherry Wind Farm, it would produce electricity for about a million people and would generate about half a billion dollars in tax revenues over the next 20 years. Wind energy is a great idea; however, the people in the Valley need to take a close look at how much we really benefit from this project. Though the wind farm is projected to provide electricity for a million...
I’m heading out to the stable and I’m on the lookout for my high horse. In the darkness I fail to see my normally mottled mare because she has decided to paint herself black for halloween. Her hero is Black Beauty, so I see no problem with her costume choice. But I am about to find out my mare has become a nightmare… During Halloween week the internet was inundated with articles about actress Julianne Hough. Apparently Julianne put on a lot of bronzer and went as “Crazy Eyes” Warren, a charact...
School lunches across the nation are developing higher FDA standards while simultaneously earning an all time low as far as student standards go. The meals provided to students by the school are too small, not tasteful, and not all that healthy. Every state in the U.S. is struggling with this problem, but the CCSD 2’s lunch program is being threatened more than ever. School lunches are headed in a constant downward spiral, but can be saved. With just a little extra time and money, schools could provide better and healthier meals for s...
Should people have the right to bear arms? Different states across the country have their own opinions on what people should be able to do with firearms. While some restrictions are necessary, it should not be impossible for the average American to purchase a firearm. Wyoming gun rights are some of the most lenient in the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 59 percent of Wyoming residents owned at least one gun or more, and Wyoming has the least amount of murders associated with firearms. Those statistics show that Wyoming residents...
Did you thank a veteran Monday? There were plenty of opportunities with Veterans Day services held all over the Platte Valley. When I was growing up, we didn’t have assemblies for Veterans Day at the schools I attended. Saratoga Elementary School, Saratoga Middle/High School and Encampment School all host Veterans Day assemblies. It is a good reminder for the students that everyday people in their schools and community have served their country. Monday was no exception as Veterans were h...
Wyoming Game and Fish is affecting my life personally. When I was between the ages of 5 and 6 my dad and I would take drives along a county road and admire hundreds of deer that we would see any given evening. To this day I often take the very same drive at the very same time of day and will not see a single deer. I am another person that immediately points my finger at the Game and Fish. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department should be fixing the problem that has resulted in a low deer population. According to a phone survey conducted by the Wyo...
There is a “disease” out there. It is infecting the young, the adults, and even the elderly. The “disease” is obesity. I should not call obesity a disease; it is a problem, but not a disease. We claim obesity is a disease because we want to say “I am infected with obesity,” when in all honesty we have made the choice to be lazy, to not exercise, and to not eat healthy foods. There are different body types for every individual body. Now, I say individual bodies because every body is very different. Some have a high metabolism, others not...
I only changed my aspirations three times as a kid. At age 5 I wanted to be a detective because I was a big fan of Batman. Later, I decided I wanted to be an archeologist after my exposure to Indiana Jones and Egyptology. It wasn’t until high school I realized I enjoyed writing, and I could make a living doing it. A creative writing teacher at Rawlins High School showed me the joy in writing, and I followed my newfound interest all the way to college, where I pursued a degree in English e...
Editor, Last week a lady wrote in a excellent letter reminding folks to get informed, and to vote. We have to recover our Country. However on one item she was mistaken. The United States of America is not a Democracy. We are a Republic.....at least so far we still are. There are free copies of the Constitution all over the place. Get one and read it. We have held meetings in both Saratoga and Encampment repeatedly over and over this past year, and continue to do so trying to educate folks on what is in the Constitution. Please take time to...
With the local fall sports season done as far as home games are concerned, I can’t help but feel a little depressed. It’s the same feeling you have when you graduate from high school and know you have to leave behind fun memories or activities that you won’t be doing again anytime soon. Well, in my case I was actually quite happy to be through with high school when I graduated, but when speaking for the majority of the public, I’m sure you get what I’m saying. I’m kind of sad that I won’t be co...
Editor, We live in a democracy, but less than half of us vote. We put men and women in office and take them out. We cannot wholly blame our leaders for corruption and bad decisions if the people who have the freedom don’t vote. Freedom has a responsibility. Good people who do not voice truth and honesty leave the door open for the wrong people to be voted into office. By doing nothing, good people have allowed our freedom to be ruled by greed and corruption. Get out and vote and try to safeguard our freedom. The buck stops with you — not the...
Editor, Our son played his final game of football as a Saratoga Panther this past Thursday night. The night was an emotional rollercoaster. The emotions went from sadness to anxiety to disbelief, horror, hope and celebration as we watched one of the most exciting events I have seen in a long, long time. Overcoming a 26-0 deficit and winning in the final moments was quite a way to end the season and a storybook finish for the team’s seniors. As a sense of normalcy has returned I am full of thankfulness. Thankfulness is why I write this letter t...
America has been through folks “coming out of the closet”, which then led to boisterous displays of gay pride. During this time America was force-fed a message of “tolerance”. Not to say forbearance and understanding is a bad thing in the least, but I personally hate being told how I should feel. Gay pride eventually settled down a bit after the initial “shock value” wore off and then went to work on actually settling down. The homosexual focus today seems to be squarely on marriage. O...
