Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Sorted by date Results 637 - 661 of 1483
My folks tried their best to keep Santa Claus alive for me as long as they could and, I have to say, they did a damn good job. I can remember when I was around five, living in Houston, my sister and I had just gone to bed. At that time we shared the same room since there was only a year apart between us. We had left out cookies and milk, as was the tradition, and were snuggled in our beds. This was the first time my stepmother and stepbrother were celebrating with us. Ken, my... Full story
In this week’s Saratoga Sun, readers will find our annual Winter Sports Preview. Now that the gridiron is covered with snow and the volleyball net is put away, it’s time to begin thinking about basketball and wrestling. While these two sports may be what most think about when it comes to winter sports, what comes to mind for me is speech and debate. Yes, I know that speech and debate isn’t “technically” a sport. It’s still an important extracurricular activity. I have been a... Full story
We at the Saratoga Sun would like to applaud Hanna Marshal Jeff Neimark and extend to him our gratitude. Last week, the Sun reported on an incident that took place in Medicine Bow involving an armed suspect. For approximately 20 years, this small town at the intersection of Carbon, Natrona and Albany counties has been without local law enforcement and has relied upon the Carbon County Sheriff’s Department. While they are attempting to get a law enforcement program started again, Medicine Bow is left unprepared for s... Full story
I’ve often been asked, as this debate over medical access in the Valley has played out, who I am in support of providing that care. People have asked me whether I support the Platte Valley Healthcare Project and their pursuit of a critical access hospital or if I support Memorial Hospital of Carbon County and their intention of placing a clinic in Saratoga. My response has often been the same; I don’t care who does it, as long as we have comprehensive healthcare. Over the hol... Full story
One of the strongest benefits I continue to get from my job as a Saratoga Sun reporter is covering sports teams in Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2). Living in Hanna, I am the guy who covers all the teams at Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School, and there is a definite attachment to the kids there as I watch them from the sidelines. The same is true for a few of the Saratoga teams I cover, such as football and wrestling. Going to Laramie this past week... Full story
For quite some time, it has been apparent that one of the major economic drivers for Saratoga and the Upper North Platte Valley has been tourism. While both the extraction and energy industries have been top employers in the area, many locals are employed either in the service or retail industry. In fact, according to a study done for the Wyoming Office of Tourism, there were over 1,500 jobs in Carbon County as a result of the tourism industry. This has been a study increase since 2007, when 1,470 jobs in the county were attr... Full story
Anyone who knows me is aware that I love warm weather. I think it goes back to the fact that I lived in Houston from ages three to 10. Before that, it was Florida for a year. Plus, even after my family left Cocoa Beach, my father was a big believer in his kids going to Cape Kennedy (as it was known back then) for space launches. So warm was in my DNA in my early years. Because I was born in Virginia and lived there in my wee tyke years, I was exposed to snow and cold. There... Full story
“Time is an illusion.” ~ Albert Einstein Daylight Savings Time (DST) officially ended on Sunday with our clocks falling back an hour. This gave those of us sleeping an extra hour of rest and those who were working a night shift an extra hour of work. Whenever this federally mandated phenomenon starts in March or ends in November, it always throws me off. Judging from my social media feeds, it throws a lot of other people off as well. Not only that, it can have a number of neg... Full story
When I first went to the state of Hawaii, it was to stay on the island of Maui. It was my first trip away from the U.S. mainland and it was exotic in so many ways. The people were incredibly friendly and the lush landscape was a real contrast to my home. I was in my early 20s, living in Washington D.C., and I was questioning what I wanted out of life. My job working for a senator had just evaporated when he decided not to run for reelection. I had left my job at the Baron... Full story
While the snow we keep on receiving makes it appear that winter cut the line ahead of fall, we are still very much in the autumn season. Next week, Valley residents should prepare themselves for quite a fright. Ghosts, goblins and ghouls will be out on the streets. Witches and warlocks will be out in broad daylight! Halloween has the potential to be a fun and exciting time of the year, but it can go bad in a hurry. We at the Saratoga Sun would like to take a few moments to give our costumed kiddos, those passing through town,...
“I didn’t get my newspaper this week. Did my subscription run out?” Pick any random week following the publication of the Saratoga Sun and there may be someone walking into the office asking this question. It may also be a phone call or an email. A part of me doesn’t like getting this question because it means that there was a breakdown somewhere in getting the paper to those who want it. Another part of me, however, loves getting this question. In a world of never-ending brea...
Probably like a lot of people, he internet is key to my job. When it goes down, I find myself thinking how screwed I am for the day. This technology and other types that didn’t exist as recent as 20 years ago, is truly amazing and a little scary sometimes. As time goes by, I find myself having to embrace it or pay some sort of penalty. Dealing with technology today One example is how I find myself paying higher prices at the grocery store because I don’t have the sto... Full story
At a recent workshop for my church, I learned about JJ BUCKLE. There are fourteen traits and attributes that every leader in any field possess. JJ BUCKLE DID IT! is an acronym used to remember all the traits. Turns out the US Marine Corp uses a slightly different version: JJ DID TIE BUCKLE. No one has all fourteen traits, but nearly everyone in a leadership role has most of these traits. Do you have what it takes to be a leader? Absolutely! Justice is the practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives...
This past weekend was one of those rare times when there wasn’t an event that I needed to cover nor were there any home games. With that in mind, and my birthday on Monday, my family and I decided to head out of town. Whenever we get a chance to take a road trip, Telitha and I often end up talking about the various towns one finds along the way. Some of them, like Jeffrey City and Bosler, are essentially ghost towns. Others, like Bairoil and Medicine Bow, continue on. B... Full story
