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The Sheridan Press, Oct. 19 As the Elk Fire continues to rage and the situation changes daily, if not hourly, you’ve likely spent some time on The Sheridan Press’ social media pages. During your time there, you’ve likely seen a recurring question, or even asked the question yourself: Why do we have to subscribe for this content? Why can’t it be available for free to the community? The reason is simple: The Press fully functions as a private business like any other in downtown Sheridan. Our business has revenue and expenditures. We pay wages a...
Dear Editor, Thank you for the invitation to submit opinions in last week’s paper. Appropriate discussion during the political decisions should be part of every voter’s day. One hot button is property tax increases. The only way to be fair to the taxpayers is cap the annual increase to the rate of inflation. As it is, the increase or decrease in valuation is driven by the boom of the recent real estate market. Consequently, that sector of property tax has risen at the rate of the percent increase in values. Every government entity that der...
Dear Editor, People have asked why the Wyoming REALTORS are backing Amendment A. The answer is straightforward: We believe in homeownership and will always support any effort to keep people in their homes. Our Wyoming Constitution currently has three classes of property for the purpose of property taxation. First is Minerals, second is Industrial, and the third class is “all other.” All other encompasses Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, and personal property. Our constitution says that “all properties shall be taxed uniformly in each...
I recently had the opportunity to welcome the Encampment K-12 School 3rd grade class at the Saratoga Sun office and I can’t speak highly enough of these young students. At the beginning of this school year, Rayna Greenwood—who is the new 3rd grade teacher—had emailed me about a field trip to the Saratoga Sun. I was ecstatic as I’ve always welcomed the opportunity to talk about this newspaper and the industry itself. I’ve given tours of the office to people just coming through the Valley on...
It may come as a shock to members of Gen Z, but there was once a way to communicate with others before the days of social media. Over the past few weeks, the Saratoga Sun’s opinion page gave a preview of how that once looked as we received at least one Letter to the Editor a week since the end of August. I was absolutely delighted to see a letter come through the mail or email because it showed that people were invested in their community. Letters on the topic of “Where the Trout Leap in Mai...
Though a few months away, the next session of the Wyoming Legislature will likely showcase the recent powershift towards the Wyoming Freedom Caucus if the general election goes the way of the primary election. Meanwhile, next month, the Management Council may be considering a policy which would limit access to the People’s House. Last month, the Select Committee on Legislative Facilities, Technology and process voted to effectively ban photojournalist and broadcast journalists from entering the halls which run next to the House and Senate f...
A few weeks ago I wrote that words matter, referring to verbal words, and this week, as we observe National Newspaper Week I am going to discuss other words that matter — printed words in newspapers. This year’s theme is Tell Our Stories, meaning for us newspaper folk to tell why we got into this business and for me the theme says it all. That’s why I do this — to tell our stories. I started in Thermopolis at the Independent Record while a senior in a career class. Students were placed with businesses in areas where they had a potenti...
This week, the final series of a story on fire mitigation runs and I hope you have read them. If not, take the time to go back to the last three issues and read them. I learned so much, and thought it was important to pass on to our readers in the Saratoga Sun. I got to know people I haven’t met before and watch them as they talk about doing jobs they love. It is not easy being in a public job where you are criticized no matter what you do. The amount of work, planning and executing a plan to t...
Dear Editor, I recently shared this story of our visit to Saratoga to my social media account, and someone suggested offering it to the local paper. The backstory: We are camped in the middle of nowhere in the small town of Saratoga, Wyoming, I’ve been here a number of times over the past 12 years because there are wonderful (free) hot springs here and good people, some of whom have become friends.. While my fianc? and I were soaking late Thursday night, someone stole the $900 customized hitch off the back of our car. Called a “weight dis...
If there’s any segment of our society that should be most concerned about young people leaving Wyoming after high school or college and not coming back, it’s business owners. That’s why we weren’t that surprised to see Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell recently lead a conversation with University of Wyoming students about their post-college plans. Still, it’s refreshing to see anyone in state leadership actively pursuing the idea that something needs to be done to address the exodus of youth from the Equality State. Less than a year ago...
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...
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...
