By Connie Patterson
Carbon County Comet Contributor
Sharing stories about the people of the North Platte River valley and their histories, interests, hobbies, talents, or issues of concern to our local communities is the focus of Tuesday Talks, a group of people who gather weekly to hear and discuss these stories.
Spearheaded by longtime resident Leslie Johnson, the group meets weekly on Tuesday mornings at the Platte Valley Community Center, beginning at 10 a.m. Johnson has an interest in the history of the valley and began the discussion group because she didn’t want the history of the valley’s people, ranches, and businesses to be forgotten.
The first organizational meeting of the year for the group was held on Jan. 23 to discuss the upcoming schedule of speakers and plan future meetings.
Dr. Gene Bolles, a retired neurosurgeon who has facilitated charitable surgeries around the world will be the featured speaker at the Tuesday Talk meeting on Jan. 30th. Dr. Bolles began coming to the valley many years ago, loves to fish, and still has an interest in what locals might recognize as “the bluff house,” which sits atop the bluff on the North Platte River, north of Saratoga.
The informal gathering is open to the public and there is no charge to attend any week’s discussion. Other scheduled speakers for upcoming weeks are on February 6, Dan Runner will do a presentation on his family ranch history; February 13 local rock hounds John Moore and Jack Wieburg will share their love of rock hounding in the valley and on February 20, Frances and Janice Bergquist will do a program on birds of prey.
