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Last week, people walking in downtown Saratoga would have likely seen a rainbow trout leaping in main street right outside the Saratoga Sun office. The trout, constructed by local artist Jerry Wood, was part of the Sun’s entry into this year’s Hay Bale Sculpture contest. Over the past few years, Saratoga—and the Platte Valley—has brought in more and more public art for the betterment of our communities. Murals are visible behind Platte Valley Martial Arts, on the side of Sweet Marie’s Mercantile and the side of The Sage Motel. A sculpture...
“Shortcutting causes erosion.” Even a casual hiker who has set foot in the canyons of Grand Teton National Park is familiar with this message, posted on signs reminding visitors to stay on designated trails. The National Park Service acted prudently when it cited this axiom in launching an investigation into an attempt by a Driggs, Idaho, runner to set a new record for the fastest ascent and descent of the Grand Teton. An inquiry by the Park Service led the arbiter of such feats of speed in the mountains, Fastest Known Time, to reject the att...
Dear Editor, Scammers are calling Medicare recipients to “verify information for a new plastic Medicare card.” There is no new card. Please print this letter to warn others that they will be billed for services they did not order if they provide the information requested. I urge others, like me, to be extremely suspicious of information requested on the phone. Signed, Dawn Munro Saratoga, Wyoming...
To the citizens of Saratoga and surrounding area. I want to say how fortunate you are to have the Platte Valley Medical Clinic and the Emergency Center. I was staying in Saratoga and had to go to the emergency center in the early morning hours. I arrived and within the hour I was admitted, treated, with IVs for fluids and pain medication and a CATscan was ordered and performed within the hour. I have never experienced such immediate and caring attention. I had to spend the night and the attention and care continued. Ten days later I visited...
Fall is here and so are those cooler evenings. I imagine you’re looking for a little something to warm your bones. Did you know that, along with the leaves falling, it’s also pepper-picking time in the Valley? Our special this week features freshly-picked, Valley-grown peppers to put a little heat on your tastebuds and hold off that cold weather. You’ll be sure to love my Delightful Roasted Red Pepper Soup. To begin with, I take as many vegetables as possible, but store bought is fine. You’l...
It has recently dawned on me that I’m getting old or at least getting older. As if the aching back, popping knees and difficulty standing up weren’t the obvious sign then social media has certainly been doing its part. When doomscrolling through an app which focuses on short-form video, I’ll see trends like “Bet You Can’t Name These 5 Classic Songs.” Fully prepared to show off my knowledge of classic bands such as Queen, Kiss or Fleetwood Mac I am instead greeted with bands from my youth like No...
To whom it may concern, I lived in Saratoga a long time ago. My parents and brothers moved to Saratoga when I was 12 years old. I spent 7 years altogether there but we moved back to Vermont and I graduated with my cousin who also had been to Saratoga. I still get the Saratoga Sun and know a lot of people there. My dad was Oscar Lane and mother [Not Sure Name] Lane and brothers Jesse, Ted and Jim. They [Ted and Jim] lived in Saratoga. All my brothers were in the military. We had uncles who worked on the Silver Spur Ranch; Frank, Roy and Howard...
When it comes to the ins-and-outs of town governance, we will admit we can understand how easy it can be for people to zone out so to speak. Despite that, we cannot overstate the importance of paying attention at local meetings. A prime example would be found during the September 17 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council. Among the number of things which were tabled by the governing body in the absence of the mayor, one of those was the recommendation of a zone change in the neighborhood of 8th Street and Bridge Avenue. David Rousu, who...
At first, a swimming pool and an industrial park might not seem like they have much in common. After all, one is designed for business and the other is designed for fun. But both are key players in economic development. And this week, Gillette and Campbell County saw some progress on their respective pool and industrial park projects. At their meeting this week, Campbell County Commissioners awarded a $2.15 million contract to begin construction work on the Pronghorn Industrial Park on a 247-acre piece of land east of Cam-plex. For 10 years,...
Four years ago, I started a small internship here at the Saratoga Sun. I started with zero pay, zero idea what I was doing, and zero plans for the future. I don’t think I was engaged with the idea of the internship very much at first. I thought it might be fun, and that it might look good on my resume, but I don’t think I saw myself consistently returning to work at the Sun every summer I was home from college. I am now headed into my senior year at the University of Wyoming. These past few mon...
Parents send their children to school each morning with the expectation that they will safely return home each afternoon. We entrust their safety to the teachers and staff of their respective schools with the understanding that they care for our children as much as we do. Over the past several years, we have seen school shooting after school shooting where teachers literally laid down their lives to protect their students. In the past five years, the Wyoming Legislature has attempted to repeal all gun-free zones in the state which would allow... Full story
It’s time for everyone to come to the same table and talk. We see it in our own organization as well as outside entities — people work in silos, and the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath only heightened that fact. Folks have tunnel vision and only see instances from their own perspective and not another’s. That’s why The Sheridan Press editorial staff has set the table for local agencies’ public information officers to grab a free lunch and hear from Wyoming Press Association Attorney Chris Wages and State of Wyoming Public Records Ombudsman...
There are many Good Samaritans living and working in our community who perform acts of kindness that most people never hear or know about. They go about their daily lives, unknown to others, while making the lives of others just a little brighter. In the past few weeks, however, I’ve seen or heard stories of these kind-hearted individuals gifting others with their deeds. While I know these Good Samaritans would make great stories for this newspaper, I find that these individuals usually wish to remain anonymous. A few weeks ago, a local b...
Good on Powell High School for taking a firm stance on cellphones in school. The new policy approved this year requires students to keep their phones off or on silent throughout the school day. It’s tough, I’m sure opposed by many students and it comes with serious penalties, but for the sake of our students I think it’s the right decision. It makes me feel old fashioned — at 37 years old — to go to a restaurant and see tables filled with people not looking at each other but at their phones. And it makes me feel like part of the problem w...
Dear Editor, My partner and I are visiting in Saratoga from Oakland, CA as he loves fishing in the North Platte River. When we were in the Conoco Country Store buying a fishing license, I noticed your newspaper with the absolutely catchy motto: “Where the Trout Leap in Main Street” and couldn’t resist buying the paper. I read practically every article and learned so much about what it’s like living in Wyoming. Thank you! Please keep the town motto! Barbara Pottgen Oakland, California...
Hey Y'all. Our Special this week is a Southern favorite. Would you believe I am from the south and have just tried this for the first time. It was so amazing I had to share. This recipe is from Southern Living Magazine. Hummingbird Cake Ingredients Cake Layers: - 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans - 2 cups granulated sugar - 1 tsp. table salt - 1 tsp. baking soda - 1 tsp. ground cinnamon - 3 large eggs, lightly beaten - 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil - 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract - 1 (8-oz.)...
I thought about calling my column “Bad Penny” because I seem to keep returning to my roots in journalism. Good or bad, I am back on the team of the Saratoga Sun, at least for a little while. Eight-and-a-half years ago when I left the Sun, it was on good terms. I just needed a change. I am one of those weird people who does well with math and English. Both subjects I liked in school. I left to work as a comptroller for a dealership in Rawlins. I enjoyed the work, as it was challenging, but I hat...
Editor, Well it seems that we have people wanting to fix something that isn’t broken again. Our town motto is fine and works very well. Leave it alone. Our motto draws 1000s of tourists here every year and they never leave disappointed. It seems to me it is doing its job. It’s very true that we have many wonderful things to do in this valley and surrounding areas. It’s seems to me that what the people instigating this change need to do is to review their plan and realize that our motto is doing it’s job very well, and what they need to do is f...
Dear Editor: The historically significant town motto: “Where the Trout Leap in Main Street,” attracts more than fishermen to the town and the valley. It is a unique expression of our way of life, where wildlife and nature are not a separate thing “out there,” but an integral part of the community. Other mottos mentioned are dull and ordinary—not unique to our town. I wholeheartedly support keeping the phrase that is deeply meaningful to long-term residents, yet fun, intriguing, and catchy to travelers and newcomers. Thank you, Dawn Senior-Tr...
Whether you’ve been in the Valley for generations or have recently moved here, most everyone is familiar with the booming voice of Loren “Teense” Willford. Early Tuesday morning, that voice fell silent as Teense passed away. When we think of Teense, we see a larger than life man with an incredible sense of humor, the well-known resounding voice during parades and events, an entertainer, a veteran and a former legislator. How do you describe a man who had so many talents and touched so many lives? We will start with how the staff at the Sarat... Full story
The new school year is now here and I would like to take this time to reach out to both students and parents about the importance of making a new friend. When I first moved to Wyoming, I was scared to make new changes in my life. I wanted to know if people would be kind to me or not. Then I discovered how kind and friendly the people in the Platte Valley are. Every morning when I go to work, some stranger would say good morning to me. Whenever I go shopping some people would say hello to me and...
There’s an old adage which says “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” We believe this applies to the unofficial slogan for Saratoga, “Where the trout leap in main street,” which has been in use for nearly a century. Borrowed from a 1927 article of the same name by Outdoor Living Magazine writer Billy O’Neil, it’s been a fitting slogan for our town, which is bisected by the North Platte River. For nearly a century, this slogan has been a source of community pride for Saratoga and for good reason. The North Platte River is a blue ribbon fishery an... Full story
To the Editor: While I fully support more recreational facilities in Saratoga, I believe the destruction of a frequently used public park to construct a half million dollar Pickleball facility for 25 or so people would be a significant misuse of public resources. If public property is to be used to construct the facility, perhaps the now vacant property adjacent to the Community Garden would be a better location. Given the longterm failure of the Town to construct the Never Forget Park, no public funds should be expended to construct a...
Editor, The last thing the town of Saratoga needs is to throw away its nearly century old slogan of “Where the Trout Leap in Main Street” and start all over again! Read on and I’ll tell you why.—Dick Perue A news item in the March 4, 1927 issue of “The Wyoming Eagle” notes: “In an editorial, ‘The Saratoga Sun’ declares that the city now has a slogan, it being the title of a short story written about the city and its surrounding territory as a resort.” (Author's note--I selected this out-of-town article to show that the new 1927 motto drew sta...
Editor, As the festivities of yet another fun filled July 4th become a recent memory, we would like to commend those who do the work behind all the events that we have living in this wonderful little Saratoga town. Many come farther distances to enjoy the patriotism, friendliness and relaxed time that Saratoga offers. With that being said, the Kiwanis group has set up for its annual Bake Sale on the corner where our beloved Teense is set to officiate the parade as it turns the corner from Highway 130 to Bridge Avenue. This has been an easy...