Articles from the August 26, 2020 edition


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  • What happens now?

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020
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    The last time a mayor resigned in Saratoga was on August 5, 1996 when Mayor Brad Cary read a brief statement and then exited the council chambers leaving both his council and town hall staff stunned. A little more than 24 years later, Mayor John Zeiger announced his resignation as well. A distinct difference, however, is that Zeiger did not attend the August 18 meeting nor did he read a statement. The announcement, instead, was posted on social media and read at the meeting by Councilmember Bob...

  • Carbon County turnout average

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    With the primary election over, some candidates can breathe a sigh of relief as they have successfully fended off challengers in both House District 47 and on the Board of Carbon County Commissioners. Compared to the 2018 Primary Election, voter turnout saw a three percent increase. In the last primary election cycle, Carbon County had a 56 percent turnout while, this election cycle, that number had increased to 59 percent. In that time, however, the number of registered voters decreased from...

  • Jane S. Dalke

    Aug 26, 2020

    Jane S. Dalke passed away peacefully in her home in Laramie, Wyoming on August 20, 2020 at the age of 81. Jane was born to Andrew and Clara Stewart in Corvallis, Montana on December 26, 1938. She was the youngest of three daughters, joining her older sisters Marion and Harriet. Jane graduated from Twin Bridges, Montana High School in 1957. Jane married Kenneth E. Dalke in Twin Bridges, Montana on December 27, 1957. As a couple they were involved in agriculture, owning various farms and ranches.... Full story

  • Uptick in lodging

    Mike Armstrong|Aug 26, 2020

    The Carbon County Visitors’ Council (CCVC) had its monthly at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Cowboy Motel in Baggs. All representatives attended the meeting either by conference call or in person. The agenda and minutes from the July 15 regularly scheduled meeting were approved quickly. The next order of business was to approve the treasurer’s report. After the report was approved the council went over lodging tax revenue for August. The revenue actually comes from revenues during the latter par...

  • Forward with financials

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    At the August 18 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, the governing body took action on several items discussed at the workshop held on August 13 including declaring a number of enterprise funds restricted. As was reported previously (see “Finding a path forward” on page 1 of the August 19 Saratoga Sun), the town council had scheduled a workshop to discuss the findings from the audit of Fiscal Year 2018/2019 issued by Carver Florek and James. In what was one of the most agreeable workshops sin...

  • Four women in headlines after Wyoming primary elections

    Bill Sniffin|Aug 26, 2020

    National history concerning women was made in Wyoming last Tuesday – and it occurred on the 100th anniversary of national suffrage for women. You just cannot make this up. The four major party candidates for U. S. Senator and U. S. Representative will all be women in the general election on Nov. 3. This is simply amazing. The election also marked a historic statewide election when a number of prominent Republicans were knocked off by their more conservative counterparts. But first, back to the women: One of the women brings another amazing s... Full story

  • Splitting the council

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    As discussion among the Saratoga Town Council became heated on how to fill the now vacant mayor seat during the August 18 meeting, a statement from legal counsel Tom Thompson appeared to show there’s a first time for everything. “Frankly, I’ve not seen a situation where the council couldn’t agree to filling a vacancy.” By the time the council adjourned the nearly three hour meeting, the seat once held by Mayor John Zeiger remained vacant. The Vacancy In Zeiger’s absence, Mayor Pro-Tem Bob...

  • A whole new game

    Mike Armstrong|Aug 26, 2020

    Russ Wiggam, athletic director for Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School, is happy that students are getting to practice for fall sports. Earlier this summer, high school sports being allowed to be played, was not a given. "There was a huge amount of uncertainty before hand," Wiggam said. "Are we going to do it, or are we not; to what level are we going to do it and we aren't." Wiggam said he was hopeful the schools would get to open back up. "We were all going, 'oh please let us...

  • Regrets projection

    Aug 26, 2020

    Dear Editor, Since elected to serve on the Saratoga Town Council, I have strived to encourage public discourse and to promote civic engagement. I believe our best council meetings are the ones when the room is full, when citizens are vocal, when ideas are exchanged, when tough questions are asked and when rigorous debate unfolds about issues that matter to the residents of Saratoga. For some time now, much of that conversation has been about the Town’s finances. Understandably, this has been an important topic to everyone who cares about the f...

  • Move forward

    Aug 26, 2020

    Dear Editor, There is an old expression that says if you are in a hole and want to get out quit digging. The controversy in the City Council of the “missing” $3.7 million is without question a hole. But it is not a hole that is likely to be filled because, from all appearances, it appears to be money that was spent but not properly accounted for. It seems to be something of a waste of energy, irrespective of the strong emotions involved on both sides of the discussion, to spend all your time on the past without doing something about the fut...

  • Give me space, lots of space

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    The beginning of the school year under regular circumstances can be difficult enough as the summer-time kinks are worked out. Add into that the precautions now required for school districts by the Wyoming Department of Education, and things can be a little less flexible. Despite that, Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) is working through operations in the age of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). On August 17, the CCSD2 Board of Trustees heard updates from Saratoga Elementary School (SES...

  • Niswender lands dream job

    Mike Armstrong|Aug 26, 2020

    Laura Niswender has always wanted to teach in a rural small school setting. She has achieved her goal, although not teaching exactly. Niswender is the new principal of the Hanna Elementary, Elk Mountain Elementary and Medicine Bow Elementary schools. She will be the third new principal for the schools in three years. Niswender may be new to Carbon County, but she knows Wyoming well. "I was born and raised outside of Laramie and my husband, Terry, and I currently live out by Harmony, which is...

  • Learn from everybody

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    Each school year, Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) holds nominations to recognize one teacher and one staff member. Those nominations are filled with staff and teachers that, for one reason or another, are selected by their peers. For the 2019/2020 school year, current 6th grade teacher Stephanie Long was among those nominated and was, ultimately, awarded. "The first week of summer, I think, I got a call from Noel Manning. He called me and said that I had been nominated. That was the...

  • Roads closed for tree removal

    Staff Report|Aug 26, 2020

    Segments of Forest Road 261 (Cedar Pass Road) and Forest Road 443 (Jerry Accord Road) in the Sierra Madre and Snowy Ranges, Medicine Bow National Forest, will be temporarily closed for public safety during roadside hazard tree removal work into the fall. The closures will impact through traffic, overnight camping and parking. In order to accommodate use during late summer/early fall and hunting season, the following closure modifications have been set: Forest Road 261 (Cedar Pass Road)–The road is currently closed to through traffic 24/7 f...

  • Forest service issues Stage II restrictions

    Staff Report|Aug 26, 2020

    Fire-prone fuel and weather conditions have prompted the need for Stage II fire restrictions on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland (MBRTB). Restrictions go into effect on Thursday, August 20, 2020 and include National Forest System lands located in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties in northwest Colorado; Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties in Wyoming. Tightened restrictions are necessary due to persistent dry, windy...

  • Examining the impacts

    Joshua Wood|Aug 26, 2020

    After the August 24 workshop held at Saratoga Town Hall, the Town of Saratoga will submit an initial request of approximately $200,000 for expected impacts from the Gateway South Transmission Line. In an hour long workshop between the Saratoga Town Council, Saratoga-Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board (SCCIJPB) and the Saratoga Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) impact requests included a bulk water fill station, supplies for the SVFD and replacing or repairing the water system in the...

  • Getting out the vote in Hanna

    Mike Armstrong|Aug 26, 2020

    The town of Hanna normally has its voting at the Hanna Town Hall. But due to the social distance measures the town took to keep its residents safe, the voting took place at the Hanna Recreation Center in its gym. The recreation center building had it clearly marked on how close people could stand in line to be socially distant. Masks were not required, but some voters did wear them when they came into vote....

  • Editorial Cartoon

    Aug 26, 2020

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  • Aug 26, 2020

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  • Aug 26, 2020

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