United States
I started my path to Journalism at Pierce College Media Arts Department in the Fall Semester of 2016. Every since then I never look back because I knew this is what I wanted to do. I work at a reporter for the Roundup News and Bull Magazine then I work my way up as an Opinion Editor and News Photographer.
In the spring of 2019 I became a student radio broadcaster for KPC Radio (www. kpcradio.com) where I hosted my radio show "Fun With Guns". My show was about competitive sport shooting and the people who help make it a popular sport.
On June 4, 2019 I graduated from Pierce College. I am currently a student at Northern Arizona University where I am Majoring in Journalism with a Minor in Public Relations. I will be graduating from NAU in 2023. I cane back to California and work as a volunteer sports reporter for the Valley Sports Telegram where I covered High School football and went on to cover the LA City/ CIF Championship and CIF State Championship.
I started my professional career with the Saratoga Sun in Saratoga Wyoming in January of 2024. Since then I have made a lot of accomplishments in my work.
You can follow my stores at.https://www.saratogasun.com/
Email address respinoza.saratogasun.com
Leslie Johnson has a great passion for the Saratoga community she calls home. Growing up in Massachusetts, Johnson has a great love for American History that she loves to share and talk about with other members of the community. Johnson has founded a community meeting group called Tuesday Talks.
The Encampment Lady Tigers had one of the few games unaffected by descent into subzero temperatures and snowfall over the weekend as they hosted the Farson-Eden Lady Pronghorns. "We came out super flat and gave up a 13-point lead," said Kevin Pantle, head coach of the Encampment Lady Tigers.
With the New Year upon them, the Saratoga Planning Commission is examining a variety of goals for 2024. One of those is to review Title 18, the zoning code for the Town of Saratoga, to determine where, if any, changes need to be made. The discussion took place during the commission's January 9 meeting.
Local enforcement, teachers, and the principal had a fun day of dodgeball at the Platte Valley Community Center. The special occasion was for students who are rewarded for their hard work in the classroom Saratoga Elementary School students from kindergarten through 6th grade must meet their goals by the end of each semester to be eligible to parti...
After a tough loss against the Farson Lady Pronghorns, the Encampment Lady Tigers got redemption and did it at the right time as they defeated their Valley rivals, the Saratoga Lady Panthers by a score of 45-31. Saratoga took an early lead but the Lady Tigers quickly tied the game at 2-2.
The Saratoga Panthers put on a dominant performance against the Encampment Tigers on the road. Everything went right for the Panthers both on offense and defense and it showed. Saratoga stepped up when they needed to and got a 73-65 win. For the majority of the game, the Panthers were leading as high as 15 points.
Things did not go right for the Saratoga Lady Panthers as they fell to the Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Lady Rattlers, 44-23, giving them their second straight league loss. The visiting Lady Rattlers came into Friday night's contest confident and determined as they dominated Saratoga.
The Encampment Lady Tigers went 1-1 during homecoming week as they lost a hard fought game to the Southeast Lady Cyclones on Friday night and took down the Rock River Lady Longhorns on Saturday afternoon. Lady Tigers vs. Lady Cyclones The Lady Tigers were handed a tough loss by Southeast, 44-30.
The Encampment Tigers were down by 8 points at the end of the 3rd quarter on Friday against the Southeast Cyclones. Then, they let out a huge roar. In the 4th quarter Kaben Pickett and Gunner Henrie both made some key defensive plays to get to the free throw line to win the game against the Southeast Cyclones.
It has been a tough season for the Saratoga Lady Panthers and a lot had to do with injuries and illness. The Lady Panthers also had to face some tough competition in their schedule and the Cokeville Lady Panthers are no exception. Saratoga fell to Cokeville 60-37 on the road Friday night.
It has been said that streaks were meant to be broken and the Saratoga Panthers unfortunately were reminded of that quote on Friday while on the road. Saratoga faced another breed of Panther in Cokeville, who came out on top in a 76-60 win.
The Saratoga Skijoring Races will return for its 8th year on February 3-4 at the Buck Springs Arena. It is a challenging event which requires skill, good balance and focus which can be tricky when skiing on the snow. The Saratoga Skijoring Race's first year started in March 2017 and has become a popular event for the last seven years.
Copper France, President & CEO of the Bank of Commerce, has been part of a family banking tradition in Wyoming dating back to 1873 when his great-great-great uncle, James France, built a building in 1873 on the North East Corner of Front and 5th Street in Rawlins.
Sixth grade student Levi Goodwin became the last bee standing as he won 1st place in the Saratoga Elementary School Spelling Bee competition on January 19. Goodwin competed against 45 other students. Each spelled words which were not easy but only the top five students were rewarded in the competition.
Residents of Saratoga agree that pedestrian safety is an important issue. Where they are divided, however, is whether it is truly worth the financial cost. Chris Vogelsang, traffic and transportation engineer for OV Consulting, spoke with community members at the Platte Valley Community Center on January 17 about the Transportation Alternative Mast...
Dr. Gene Bolles, a retired neurosurgeon from Boulder, Colorado, was the first guest of the 2024 Tuesday Talks at the Platte Valley Community Center. Bolles is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Colorado.
The 8th Annual Saratoga Skijoring Races were one for the record books with a huge turnout of spectators tailgating in the parking lot along with skiers and riders competing in different divisions. Will Faust, one of the event organizers and co-founder of the Saratoga Skijoring races, said this year's event was one of the biggest it has had so far...
The Encampment Lady Tigers dominated the first three-quarters of their rematch with the Saratoga Lady Panthers. Saratoga attempted to steal the game with under two minutes left in the 4th quarter. At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Lady Tigers had a 15-point lead but the Lady Panthers turned it into a catfight.
Saratoga Panthers freshman Griffin Barlett made his return to the Panther Den for the first time since January 5th. It could not have happened at a better time as the Panthers got a 70-52 win over their valley rival the Encampment Tigers.
My interest in covering local high school sports all started when I was a sports journalism student at Northern Arizona University. I would work as a voluntary local sports journalist for the Arizona Daily Sun to cover local high school sports in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Motor sports enthusiasts raced to the ice this weekend as 307 GoFast held it's second annual ice races at Saratoga Lake on February 10. Competitors from all parts of Wyoming and out-of-state competed in the ATV buggies and dirt bike racing on the frozen lake. There were a total of 30 racers at the event.
The cost of repairs and maintenance for proposed walking paths seems to be an ongoing debate since the January 17 meeting for the Transportation Alternative Master Plan. OV Consulting and the Town of Saratoga's Department of Public Works have heard these concerns from residents.
John Moore, Jack Weiberg and Janice White were the presenters at the February 13 Tuesday Talks as they spoke about rocks and various artifacts connected to the Indigenous American tribes of Wyoming. Arrowheads were the main subject during the lecture. Each one that has been discovered in Saratoga is evidence that Native Americans lived here before...
Success never tasted so good. The Town of Saratoga recently competed against all 50 states in the National Rural Water Association's Annual Rally in Washington D.C. As a result, Saratoga finished in the top five at the 25th Annual Great American Water Taste Test.
On Saturday, the Saratoga Museum hosted Carbon County's Winter Golf Classic, the Frozen Fore, at Saratoga lake. Each team has a total of four players and gets four tennis balls. At the end of the game cash prizes are given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.
For their final games of the regular season, the Saratoga Panthers hosted two conference foes and were dealt two tough conference losses. On Thursday night, Saratoga hosted the Farson-Eden Pronghorns and hosted the Cokeville Panthers on Friday. Saratoga vs. Farson-Eden The last time the Saratoga Panthers faced the Farson-Eden Pronghorns, it turned...
It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Saratoga Lady Panthers to say the least. As tough as the season has been for the Lady Panthers, they are working hard to make a great seasoning ending. So far, Saratoga is doing just that. Saratoga vs.
The last time the Encampment Lady Tigers won a game was on February 2 when they beat Valley rival the Saratoga Lady Panthers, 40-38. Since then the Lady Tigers have gone on a six-game losing streak. Encampment lost the last two games of the regular season against Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Lady Rattlers 57-31 on Friday and to Cokeville 66-41...
Francis Bergquist and his wife, Janice, were the presenters at the February 20 Tuesday Talks as they shared their love for bird watching and nature. During the lecture, the Berquists talked about different breeds of birds and where they come from. The Berquists have been married for over 60 years and they began dating each other in their Sophomore...
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County held an open house for its newly remodeled Orthopedic and Pain Clinic on February 22, showing county residents the growth the department has made in the past few years. Bob Keel, a PA-C in Orthopedic Medicine, said the reason for the open house was to introduce the community to the new Orthopedic Staff.
The Saratoga Panthers secured three out of four wins in Lander. and as a result, got a 3rd place finish to the 1A/2A State Tournament The Panthers trip to Lander was not an easy one. In the first round Saratoga faced a tough and determined Burlington Huskies into overtime.
The Saratoga Lady Panthers took an early exit from the regionals after two tough losses. Saratoga lost the first game against a tough Burlington Lady Huskies team, 56-40. The Lady Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the 1A Northwest Conference with a 7-0 conference record and a 19-6 record overall.
It has been a rough roller coaster ride for the Encampment Lady Tigers, coming into the 1A West Regional Tournament with a six-game losing streak. Encampment was able to win one game but they ended up losing two games that sent them to an early exit out of Lander.
The Encampment Tigers season came to an end in a heartbreaking loss to the Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Rattlers 55-47 on February 19 in Rawlins. This was not Encampment and LSRV's first rodeo together and they are not strangers to one another.
Snowdon and Rhiwan Williams are a brother and sister who play varsity basketball for Saratoga Middle High School. The Williams family has a passion for basketball and has an interesting journey that has led them to where they are today. Snowdon is a freshman playing for Saratoga Panthers and Rhiwan is a junior playing for the Saratoga Lady Panthers...
On February 19, Rawlins Middle School received recognition from Solution Tree for its top academic achievements and earned honors as a PLC (Professional Learning Communities) at Work School. Three weeks ago, Rawlins Middle School completed its application which they have been working on for about a year-and-a-half. They were approved by Solution Tr...
Without question, the Saratoga Panthers had an amazing season despite their tough loss to the Upton Bobcats, 55-36. The Panthers' loss to the Bobcats is nothing to be ashamed of. Upton had only one loss the entire season and it was to the Hot Springs Bisons 62-45 on January 12.
Encampment Senior Quade Jordan is now getting ready to start a new chapter with the Chadron State College Eagles. Jordan-who had an outstanding senior year in football for the Tigers-had 1,953 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 86 tackles and has caught the attention of CSC recruiters and coaches.
When Hank Morris listened to his first Bob Dylan record, he knew music was his future. Morris was born and raised in Texarkana, Texas and, at the age of 14 years old, he learned how to play the guitar and harmonica.
Mike Erickson, principal at Encampment K-12 School, will be retiring at the end of the school year after 19 years with Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2). On March 5, a community forum giving parents and staff a chance to speak with Erickson's possible replacement was held.
Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris and South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services (SCWEMS) Director Stayton Mosbey did a presentation on the dangers of narcotics at Tuesday Talks on March 5. During the presentation both Morris and Mosbey pointed out that fentanyl is the number one drug that is being smuggled across the U.S Border.
On March 4, the First Presbyterian Church of Saratoga hosted a it's weekly gathering at the table. The special gathering is all about meeting new friends and sharing kindness with everyone in the Platte Valley Community. Gather at the Table takes place on the first Monday of each month and everyone in the community is welcome to join.
Encampment K-12 School's recent Books and Breakfast was in honor of local first responders. On March 6, parents, students, teachers and first responders met at the Encampment School Library to spend time reading together. This event encourages students to read books and improve their reading skills.
With the 2023/2024 basketball season over, the Wyoming Coaches Association has presented players across the state with All-Conference and All-State Honors. Three students-Finn Rolseth, Fisher Williams and Rhiwan Williams-were on that list. Rolseth and Fischer Williams have finished their final season positively with both receiving All-State Hon...
Though the Encampment Tigers didn't make it to 1A West Regionals and the Lady Tigers didn't make it to the 1A/2A State Tournament, their season still ended on a positive note as members of both teams received honors from the Wyoming Coaches Association. Junior Kyenna Jackson won 1A All-State honors with junior Kristie Jordan winning All-Confere...
On March 14, authorities in the state of Florida arrested Saratoga robbery suspect 32-year-old Cody Ellenson. Ellenson and 28-year-old Victoria Tidball were wanted for robbery at the Whistle Pig Saloon on December 16. Tidball was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon after she fired approximately 40 rounds at her ex-boyfriend's house and...
On March 14, the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 50th Anniversary at the Platte Valley Community Center. Local business owners came together to be recognized for their accomplishments both in business and the community. One of those top winners of recognition was Valley Foods & Liquor, which won 2023 Business of the Ye...
A Saratoga man was killed instantly in a fatal accident on Highway 30 with one motorist receiving minor injuries. On March 11, at approximately 1:07 p.m., troopers from the Wyoming Highway Patrol responded to milepost 239 on US 30/287 for a head-on collision with injuries. According to Trooper Ryan W.
On Friday, March 15, 8th graders from Encampment, Saratoga, and Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow schools took a field trip for 8th Grade Business Career Day. The students had the opportunity to visit different businesses in the Platte Valley. 8th Grade Business Career Day first started in 2016 by former Saratoga/ Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce CE...
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County recently hired Margaret Fontana as their new Chief Financial Officer. She started her position as CFO the first week of March. Fontana is the former CFO of Prairie Health in Langdon, North Dakota with over 15 years of financial management experience both in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
Women's basketball, both in high school and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), is on the rise. Believe it or not it is catching the attention of those who follow sports especially those in the sports journalism world. One of the many reasons is because of Iowa University Lady Hawkeyes point guard Caitin Clark, who has been takin...
Saratoga Panthers guard, senior Finn Rolseth signed a commitment letter to the Rocky Mountain College Battlin Bears on Wednesday, March 20 with his coaches and family right by his side. Rolseth has had an outstanding season from his game-winning basket against Southeast Cyclones in the quarter-finals of the 1A State Tournament to his dominant perfo...
This year, the Saratoga Middle Panthers has had another successful basketball season under the guidance of Head Coach Bob Keel. Under Keel's leadership, the Panthers have had a three-year straight undefeated conference streak. Keel's basketball squad only had two losses to the Laramie Scouts, but his squad dominated their conference and it was...
Red followers located near the 8200 building on Pierce College Village
Green Cactus located at Pierce College Garden near the 1600 building.
Men's college swim teams competing in Santa Clarita California at the COC Swim Meet.
The swim team made a splash in the 19th edition of the Pasadena City College Invitational, a three-day event that had different colleges competing. Head Coach Judi Terhar said the importance of this invitational was to see where Pierce stacks up against the other swimmers.
Stand up comedy is often confined to a performer speaking into a microphone on stage. But for some, hand motions are the tool to communicate a joke. Pierce College American Sign Language (ASL) Club hosted "The Extraordinary Talent Show" on Friday, May 10 at the Performing Arts Center.
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Reported by Felipe Gamino and Richard Espinoza. Men's volleyball head into the final stages of their season as they went on the road to face Santa Monica College in a conference game. The Brahmas lost in straight sets to the Corsairs as they dropped to 3-11 in the season and 1-9 in conference.
South West Airlines Jet flying over Pierce College on a Friday afternoon.