Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
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The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. ~John Muir *** Growing up, it is safe to say that I was a little averse to the outdoors. I was more content to be inside either playing video games or tying up my parents’ phone line browsing the internet. I was not the biggest fan of hunting or fishing and I rarely, if ever, went on a hike. In high school, the only reason I was excited for the Snowy Range to open was because it made it quicker to get to Larami...
Hi! You have reached the mind of Keith. He's not here right now (if ever), but if you could leave a message after the beep, he will put it first on his list to slowly percolate into his consciousness. BEEEEP! Yes, I am going to be out of the office for a few days. As a matter of fact, as this hits the various newsstands and post office boxes I will be on my way to the San Juan river in Utah where I fully expect to let my mind wander aimlessly while I row said river for a few...
Dear Editor, I am glad to see the students speaking out and not letting up. I do fear though, that they are being used by anti-gun lobbies and individuals. (Oprah donated 500K according to NBC News). They should be left to speak as they choose and berating them, or anyone, voicing their opinion is un-American and , until now, has been essentially a liberal weapon. The Israeli program of training and arming teachers has worked quite well and one Ohio school district has had armed teachers for several years without incident....
I am a person who, more or less, looks back at his life in eras. The dictionary defines era as a long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic; a system of chronology dating from a particular noteworthy event; a date or event marking the beginning of a new and distinct period of time. My years as a student, kindergarten until I graduated college, is era number one. This one is my longest since I have eras that last only a year or so. Sometimes...
Pool, or billiards, began with … I know that because I made up a funny bit about how darts began, you are waiting for me to give you a completely fabricated, cock-and-bull story about how this sport arose. I, being a semi-sadist, refuse to do it. … plus I couldn’t think of anything outlandish enough. The Name of the Game Billiards got its name from France. It either came from the word “billart, “ one of the wooden sticks originally used or “bille,” meaning a ball. In the...
On Feb. 14, 2018, 17 people walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSDHS) in Parkland, Florida expecting just another day. These people, 14 of them students and three faculty, would not live to see the end of the day. Since then, the news has been dominated by the survivors of the Parkland Shooting. A deputy sheriff, tasked with protecting the school, stayed outside of the building as the shooting took place. Students dialed 911 so much they were told to stop...
I had a tradition when I visited a new country back when I lived in Taiwan. I should point out, during this time, the countries I visited were warm and most had beaches that were often remote. I made a point of skinny dipping in each country I had never been in before. Nothing I can really explain, but I loved to find some deserted area and take a swim without clothes. I think of skinny dipping is an art, because the idea is to do it without offending anyone. Don’t do it a...
Darts were invented by two Scottish physicians and brothers by the name of Dartmouth. In 1844, the pair became inebriated one evening (a Tuesday around teatime) in their office and started throwing hypodermic needles at each other. Eventually the by-then-“holy” brothers began to aim their throws at other targets and as time went by the pair decided to call their new game “Darts.” … What? … You’re not buying that? Okay. I made all that up. You got me. Throwing a 180 The origi...
“You know what’s wrong with your generation?” If I had a penny for every time I had someone pose this rhetorical question to me, I would finally be able to afford a house of my own. I was born in 1986, which puts me on the older end of the spectrum for the Millennial generation. You know, the generation that has been accused of ruining Applebee’s, department stores, beer, marriage and a number of other classic American institutions. While commonly agreed to be the generat...
Title 18, the municipal code that dictates zoning, is a bit of a mess. Much of it hasn’t been updated since it was adopted nearly 40 years ago. Along with the outdated language and standards, one also has to deal with definitions that vary from section to section. Anyone who has taken the time to read Title 18 knows it is complicated. One of the primary reasons for these complications can be found in the varying definitions of the same structure. Manufactured home and mobile home are often used interchangeably for the same t...
I love Valentine’s Day. I always have. I can remember as a wee tyke, Valentine’s Day was exciting because of how many little Valentine’s cards and candies I would get. Valentine’s Day was great for another reason. Every since I can remember, my stepfather, Stuart, would buy my mother a box of Russell Stover Turtles (chocolate covered caramel and pecan yumminess) that she would share with my sister and me. My father also got chocolates for my stepmother on Valenti...
In a small western town (or just small towns in general probably), the bulk of general socialization goes on in establishments that serve alcohol. In the summer our towns boast activities and events aplenty—and folks can get out and get together with friends at leisure. But in winter there are only so many things one can do to get out of the house and socialize. That’s where winter indoor (or Windoor) sports come in. Racking up friends Saratoga has a pool league, a dart league...
You may notice the Saratoga Sun recently won a few awards for last year’s work. As a matter of fact, we picked up 20 Pacemaker awards which garnered us the Sweepstakes Trophy for most Pacemakers earned. We could not have done this without you. Several of the stories which won awards would not have been printed without someone letting us know that an event was happening. We picked up a first place Outdoor/Environmental Reporting award because the Elk Mountain Senior Game Warden alerted us to the fact he was on the lookout f...
A small human is standing at the side of my bed calling me names. “Daddy. Daddy ... Daddy!” My eyelids, still heavy with sleep, struggle to open. “What is it?” I ask. “I pooped,” he says. The odor that assaults my nose confirms his confession. “Change my butt,” the tiny being demands. Checking my phone I see that it’s 3 a.m. I let out a sigh as I sit up and get out of bed. My son, Jareth, will be turning 4 years old this weekend. I am amazed that I, a person who can barely kee...
For this column, I am introducing another of my sayings I find myself telling people all the time: “It is a historical fact, nobody has beaten death.” Whether the words are original from my mind or not, the meaning of it is pretty accurate. Writing a column on death is intimidating and all week long, I agonized on how to approach the subject. The reason I decided to attempt even trying was that the beginning of the year had me reading obituaries of about a half dozen peo...