Business

New UW Guide Gives Wyoming Communities Practical Tools to Fund Recreation Infrastructure

Publisher — Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000

New UW Guide Gives Wyoming Communities Practical Tools to Fund Recreation Infrastructure Publisher Sun, 05/03/2026 - 03:00

Press Release

University of Wyoming

The Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute at the University of Wyoming, in collaboration with the UW College of Law’s Gina Guy Center for Land and Water Law, has released a new resource to help Wyoming communities identify and implement sustainable funding strategies for recreation infrastructure.

Titled “Funding Recreation in Wyoming Communities: A Guide to Revenue Mechanisms, Partnerships and Financing Tools for Local Governments,” the report offers a comprehensive overview of the legal and financial tools available to counties, municipalities and school districts seeking to develop and maintain recreation assets across the state.

Recreation infrastructure, including trails, parks, aquatic centers and community facilities, plays a critical role in supporting quality of life, economic vitality and community health. However, funding these assets remains a persistent challenge for many Wyoming communities. This guide aims to bridge that gap by translating statutory frameworks into actionable strategies.

“This guide was designed to be both practical and accessible,” says Emily Wangen, the author of the report and a law student in the J.D./M.A. in environment and natural resources dual-degree program at UW. “Local leaders and community members are often aware that funding tools exist, but navigating the legal framework can be complex. We wanted to create a resource that clearly outlines what’s available and how communities across Wyoming are already using these tools successfully.”

The report organizes funding strategies into several key categories, including:

-- Excise taxes, such as special purpose excise taxes, which can fund major capital projects with voter approval.

-- Property tax mechanisms, including mill levies and public recreation districts.

-- Joint-powers agreements, enabling cost-sharing and regional collaboration.

-- Special districts, particularly for unincorporated communities.

-- Bonding authority, to finance large-scale infrastructure investments.

-- State and federal grant programs, including the Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Trust Fund and Recreational Trails Program.

Each section includes relevant Wyoming statutes and real-world examples demonstrating how communities have applied these tools in practice.

“Wyoming communities are innovative and resourceful, but they often need clearer pathways to implement funding solutions,” says Dan McCoy, director of the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute. “By pairing legal context with on-the-ground examples, this guide helps communities move from concept to implementation.”

The report also highlights the growing importance of recreation infrastructure as both a community asset and an economic driver, particularly in rural areas seeking to diversify their economies and enhance livability.

“This is ultimately about empowering local decision-makers,” Wangen says. “Whether a community is building a trail system, maintaining a recreation center or planning future investments, there are tools available. They just need to be understood and applied effectively.”

The guide is part of the WORTH (Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality) Institute’s broader mission to support Wyoming communities through applied research, workforce development and extension services focused on outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality.

Access the full report at https://doi.org/10.15786/wyoscholar/10159.

CCEDC Improving as the Year Marches on

Publisher — Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000

CCEDC Improving as the Year Marches on

Publisher Sun, 05/03/2026 - 03:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

The Carbon County Economic Development Corporation’s (CCEDC) website describes the organization as “The Carbon County Economic Development Corporation provides support for new start-ups and expanding businesses. We help identify growth opportunities, find real estate, provide information, and make connections with community leaders, by partnering with entrepreneurs, business leaders and government agencies.”

Yvonne Johnson, the director of CCEDC, is working hard to help make economic development happen in Carbon County, but sometimes residents don’t always realize what the CCEDC is accomplishing.

She acknowledges the organization is going through changes as it improves its mission. Johnson is also traveling to learn and network.

“I am going to the Wyoming Funding Summit in Gillette sponsored by Senator Barrasso and Senator Lummis in July,” Johnson said. “I am going to Salt Lake for a conference on Brownfields programs.”

She is also looking forward to a fundraiser the CCEDC will be doing.

“In September, we will be doing a big fundraiser which will feature Renny Mckay, President of the Wyoming Business Alliance, and Josh Dorrell, Director of the Wyoming Business Council, and myself,” Johnson said.

“It will be in Rawlins, but I am not sure of the location yet.”

Johnson said the organization was restructured a little over a year ago and although it is not complete, it is very close.

“This really needed to be done because it was getting to a point that I am running from one part of the county to another part, plus getting educated by the state and out of state too, and being really passionate about the Brownfield projects, which is trying to repurpose buildings,” Johnson said.

“My second year here, I submitted 14 buildings that needed to be repurposed, and I am still working on getting them approved.”

She can’t really go into detail because of non-disclosure agreements she had to sign.

“That is one of the hardest parts of this job, is that there are things going on, but I can’t discuss them,” Johnson said. “People say they won’t talk, but then they tell one person not to say anything and then that person does the same thing. I really can’t talk about many projects that are being considered, worked on and researched because it is not for sure. When it is non-disclosure, it can’t be discussed.”

She said this makes it hard for her to let communities and their leaders know what CCEDC is working on.

“One of the biggest downfalls is that by all the non-disclosure and having to be low key, I am not able to give the organization all the credit it deserves,” Johnson said. “I do a lot of work behind the scenes to make things happen that I can’t talk about publicly and many residents don’t know the value of what CCEDC is doing. I wish I could talk about many of the projects that are being considered, but it is just not possible.”

She said CCEDC serves as a liaison between local, state and federal agencies and programs, which is sometimes not always recognized.

There is a lot of outreach by CCEDC that Johnson can put in her reports, but the scope of who she is in touch with is vast.

While the organization restructures, Johnson said CCEDC has had to face budget cuts because companies are not contributing as much as they had in the past.

She said the Wyoming Business Council guiding the CCEDC has really helped. Johnson is positive about the direction the CCEDC is going.

“Being able to help people and businesses is really what drives me,” Johnson said. “When you love your job, even if it can be challenging, it does not really feel like work.”

She is also learning and bringing in new software that will help the CCEDC as it goes forward. Johnson said as she goes forward, there is a clear understanding of what her job and role is with CCEDC.

“There has been a lot of education over the past year and a half that has been beneficial to the county,” Johnson said. “A lot of people think my focus is only on Rawlins, but that is not true. I have a good relationship with the city, but I help a lot of communities.”

Johnson said she does wish there were more manufacturing companies looking at Carbon County.

She feels Carbon County is an excellent place for these businesses. Johnson believes the organization is going in the right direction.

Missey Turney, the president of the CCEDC Board, agrees that the organization is going in the right direction.

Turney is Rawlins born and said she has a real passion for the county. She said when the Wyoming Business Council came in and made a report about what could be improved, “They put together an Economic Development 101,” Turney said. “They asked us questions and gave us five modules to work on. We as an organization are not really looking behind us but looking forward.”

Turney said because it is a new board they are making sure the fundamentals and a strong foundation are being put forth.

Turney enjoys supporting Johnson and appreciates all her efforts.

“I want to be present,” Turney said. “I am thankful for the past boards and all the work they have done on behalf of the CCEDC, but I am doing things like developing our newsletter, working with others on our strategic plan and working on policies and procedures.”

She said consulting companies brought in have recommended CCEDC be treated as a business.

“You can’t usually run a business with only one person,” Turney said. “Especially our type of business. We need to look into getting another person who has administrative duties.”

Turney is hopeful a new person will be hired in the near future to help with the administrative duties. Turney said the year and a half has really been insightful on how to help the CCEDC move forward.

CCEDC does seem to be on the right path with Johnson, Turney and the new board being very strategic about how to move forward.

Carbon County can only benefit from all their goals and efforts.

New Pizza Spot Delivers Big Flavor in Medicine Bow

Publisher — Sun, 03 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000

New Pizza Spot Delivers Big Flavor in Medicine Bow

Publisher Sun, 05/03/2026 - 03:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Come

Jace Lamoureux was raised in Rhode Island and, at a young age, was working in pizza shops, not only in the smallest state in the Union, but also on the shores of New Jersey. For those who may not be aware, from Massachusetts down to Maryland, pizza shops are very serious about their pizza. Rhode Island, New York City metro, and New Jersey are the epicenter of pizza culture to many.

“Providence to New York City is a mecca for good pizza,” Lamoureux said. “It is serious business.”

Family-owned pizza shops are common.

“I never worked for a corporate or pizza chain,” Lamoureux said. “They were always family businesses. The best place I worked for was a Greek place and that was an excellent experience.”

Lamoureux got his skills by learning the ropes, as many restaurateurs do. He started as a dishwasher and worked his way up to tossing pizzas. His experience has culminated in him opening “Slowpoke’s Pizza Garage” in Medicine Bow.

The reason Lamoureux got into the pizza business in Wyoming was that he and his wife, Annie, who also worked in pizza shops growing up, were pizza snobs.

They knew how to make authentic pizzas from scratch, so they purchased a pizza oven and started making their own.

The couple lives in Hanna and started making pies for friends.

Annie is an educator in Carbon County School District No. 2. Jace worked in construction most of his life. He left the restaurant business in his early 20s.

“I did it for 27 years,” Lamoureux said. “I had some health issues that made me have to leave construction and I went to work for a friend in a motorcycle shop in Daytona Beach for about 5 years.”

He met some people from Wyo Tech and soon found himself in Laramie, then Encampment, Rock Springs, and then Hanna.

“We came back to Carbon County because it’s quiet,” Lamoureux said. “A great place to raise kids.”

Annie came up with a dough recipe and they started making pizzas for friends in Hanna.

“When my daughter went to her prom, we donated the food for the prom,” Lamoureux said. “We have supplied pizzas after my son’s football games.”

They liked contributing to the town.

Their reputation grew and it was not too long before Lamoureux approached Medicine Bow mayor Justin George about a building he owned. It was once Cooper’s Chevrolet, the first Chevrolet dealer in Wyoming.

Although the shop looks like a typical pizza shop you might see back East, because it was a dealership with a garage, the name ‘Garage’ made its way into the shop’s name.

George and Lamoureux’s Slowpoke’s Garage Pizza was ready in March.

There are specials like lasagne and chicken Parmesan, but his menu has pizza, where you can make your own with a variety of toppings. He also has strombolis on the menu, a type of rolled pizza without any sauce in the roll. The sauce is served on the side. The shop also has calzones.

His calzones are made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Ricotta in a calzone is definitely an East Coast touch.

The meatball sandwich is very popular.

All food is made from scratch.

Since the business opened, he found himself with a very strong to-go business.

“We get about 80 percent of our business from to go,” Lamoureux said. “A lot comes from Hanna.”

Lamoureux has one customer who stops in every week from Rawlins.

“That is flattering,” Lamoureux said. “We don’t cut corners here and customers appreciate it.”

He admits prices have been rising since he opened.

“Just in the past two months, the prices I pay for cheese, tomatoes and meat have risen 18 percent,” Lamoureux said. “We are absorbing it right now, but we have to be aware that we might have to change prices.”

The prices are reasonable and Lamoureux wants to keep it that way.

“We are the real deal and I want people to enjoy our food,” Lamoureux said. “I really enjoy making food that makes people happy that they ate it.”

Lamoureux is uncompromising on how he wants customers to experience what authentic pizza should taste like.

The same with all his food.

Italian Ice, a treat he serves, should be tried because it is unusual. It is not like a sherbet, ice cream, or even a frozen slushy. It is fruity and sweet, but it is amazing how it hardly melts at all. It stays firm until almost the last bite. It is a nice way to finish an Italian meal.

The place is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Most places are closed on Mondays, so Lamoureux wants to be open to fill that void. The hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. except on Sunday, when they open at 2 p.m.

George is a fan and not just because he helped get the shop ready.

“The food is great,” George said.

Lamoureux is happy to hear the words.

“I am happy to be in Medicine Bow,” Lamoureux said. “And I just want to make pizza and other Italian dishes people can enjoy. It is that simple.”

New Owners for an Established Coffee Shop

Publisher — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

New Owners for an Established Coffee Shop

Publisher Sat, 04/25/2026 - 07:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Mukwano Coffee Cafe, which means “friendship” in Ugandan, has been a Rawlins place to not only get excellent coffee, but also some delicious breakfast/lunch meals. Recently, the Mukwano Coffee Cafe was bought by a mother and son team, Eduardo Perez and Aracely Baker, at the beginning of April.

The reason for the Ugandan name is that it is where Mukwano sources its coffee.

“We bought it from the owners who had it for about six years and he had bought it from owners who had it for about four years,” Perez said. “The cafe is about a decade old.”

Perez said they took over ownership because the opportunity presented itself.

“We decided to go for it because we felt the business was a place that could grow from what it already was,” Perez said. “The breakfast is staying pretty much the same, but we are adding items. The sandwiches used to be only made with waffles, but now we also have croissants and bagels.”

The cafe will also be featuring pastries Monday through Friday, all homemade by Baker.

“On Saturday, we will do doughnuts, just to change it up,” Perez said. “Again, they will be homemade.”

Perez said they are still sourcing their coffee from the previous owner, who was also the roaster. So the coffee is not changing.

When asked why people should come in, Perez was quick to answer.

“For her cooking,” Perez said. “Her cooking is amazing. Her pastries are out of this world. With us roasting the coffee in-house, the freshness of the pastries just enhances the experience.”

Baker has worked as a kitchen manager for 18 years for breakfast restaurants and five-star restaurants. They are recent Rawlins residents.

“We started in Colorado and then moved to Pittsburgh, and then we came here two years ago,” Baker said. “My husband got a job here and so we came. I love the town.”

Perez spent most of his life in Colorado.

“I also enjoy Rawlins,” Perez said. “It is so different. It is much more mellow. I lived in Denver and a big city is way different from a small city. I love it because it is quaint, beautiful, and quiet.”

Perez said he is at Mukwano because his mother is a terrific cook.

“It is just us two running the place,” Perez said. “I am the front of the house and she is the one making the food.”

Baker has an excellent last name because she truly loves baking.

“I really do love to bake and cook,” Baker said. “I really love it.”

“Her cinnamon rolls are delicious,” Perez said. “We can’t wait for people to learn of her baking talent.”

Baker has been in the culinary world for a long time.

“I started learning from my grandmother, she is the one who first taught me how to cook, then it was my mother,” Baker said. “Then I started to work with restaurants when I was 26. I learned the love for cooking from my family and I got professional training from the restaurants I worked for.”

Baker said she had excellent mentors in the chefs she worked for.

Both feel that although there is a lot of grab-and-go clientele, there is also a customer base that wants to sit and relax when they come to the cafe.

“We want customers to enjoy themselves completely when they come here and I think they will once they try my mother’s food,” Perez said.

It is not often one comes across a mother and son owned business, but Mukwano Coffee Cafe is a good place to meet such a team.

Aspen Sky Merchants Mall Named New Business of the Year at Chamber Awards

Publisher — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Aspen Sky Merchants Mall Named New Business of the Year at Chamber Awards

Publisher Sat, 04/25/2026 - 07:00

By Dana Davis

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Aspen Sky Merchants Mall took home top honors at the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Annual Meeting & Awards on April 15, earning the New Business of the Year Award in a moment owners said felt both unexpected and deeply meaningful.

For Samantha Starks and her husband, Chris Starks, the recognition marked a milestone in what has been a fast-moving journey since they purchased the business in August 2024.

“We’re so excited. It was really special,” Samantha said in an interview following the announcement. “They did a great job. It was a really quick meeting. It was just fun. It was so sweet.”

The award caps what will soon be nearly two years of ownership for the couple, who stepped into Aspen Sky after building a connection to the space through earlier consignment items and booth involvement.

By October, the Starks family will have officially been in Saratoga for four years. Chris works for Union Pacific, and the couple also has family ties in the area that helped bring them to Carbon County.

“We had gotten to know Linda, and it was just a lot of fun,” Samantha said, referring to the previous owner. “When she said she was retiring, we thought, OK.”

Family connection to the area runs deep through Samantha’s sister, Stacey Berger, and brother-in-law Kyle Berger, who are part of families long rooted in the Saratoga and Platte Valley area. Samantha said those ties helped strengthen their decision to put down roots locally and invest in the community.

At the same time, Samantha said she was entering a new phase of life as an empty nester, and the timing aligned.

Chris, she said, helped seal the decision.

“He was like, ‘What are you going to do?’” she said with a laugh. “So we just looked into buying it, and it worked out. It was meant to be, I guess.”

Since taking over, the Starks have focused on reshaping Aspen Sky into what Samantha describes as a collaborative, community-driven space designed to support local vendors and small businesses.

A key part of that approach is the booth rental model, which allows individuals to operate their own mini shops inside the larger mall while sharing overhead costs.

“We’ve brought in more booths and just kind of rearranged some things,” Samantha said. “We’ve really tried to work with the local community and ask them, what do they need? And try to bring in the things that they need.”

The mall currently features about 40 to 45 booths and consignment spaces and is fully occupied, though Samantha said they are always accepting applications as space changes.

“We’re always taking applications,” she said. “It’s a month-to-month thing, so it changes whenever people move out. There’s usually a waitlist.”

Pricing is structured at $1.25 per square foot with a 15% commission.

“We try to keep it reasonable,” she said. “It’s really about the community and supporting each other and being a big team.”

That sense of teamwork, she said, extends to vendors, staff and even customers who spend time browsing the wide range of items inside the store.

“I think that’s the biggest thing,” Samantha said. “We want to be an asset to the community. We try to give back as much as we can and support local nonprofit groups. We just really care about people here.”

Inside Aspen Sky, that philosophy shows up in both small and large ways. One of the most popular additions since the Starks took ownership is the Coffee Corner, a low-cost seating area designed to encourage shoppers to stay and relax.

Coffee and tea are priced at $1.25 per cup.

“I noticed a lot of husbands would just go sit in the car,” Samantha said. “I thought, no, I want them to feel comfortable and stay and hang out and let the wives enjoy their shopping experience.”

The space has become a gathering point inside the mall, part of what the Starks say is a broader effort to make the building feel welcoming for everyone.

In addition to booth variety, Aspen Sky features a wide mix of goods ranging from clothing and home décor to fishing gear, locally made soaps, pottery, crafts, pet tags, baked goods and specialty foods.

Samantha said the goal is simple: variety and accessibility.

“We really want to be that place where there’s something for everyone,” she said. “From toys to herbs to hunting and camping gear, it’s all here.”

Some booths are operated by full vendors, while others are smaller consignment arrangements. One example she noted is a vendor with a few lamps who does not have enough inventory for a full booth but is still able to participate.

Others highlight locally sourced or Wyoming-made goods, including coffee roasted in Laramie, local honey from the Platte Valley area and handmade items from regional artisans.

“We try to listen to what people want,” she said. “If someone asks for something, we try to find a vendor who can bring it in.”

That flexibility, she added, has been part of the mall’s growth and identity since the transition in ownership.

Staffing has also played a major role in the business’s success, Samantha said.

“I’m just so thankful for the ladies that work for us,” she said. “It would just be too much for me by myself.”

Chris, she said, helps manage ordering and budgeting, while she focuses on day-to-day operations and customer interaction.

“I pretty much run the register and keep it clean in here,” she said.

Hours vary seasonally. In summer, Aspen Sky is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday hours begin the week after Mother’s Day.

In winter, the store is closed on Sundays and Tuesdays but is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Looking ahead, the Starks say they are focused on continuing to grow while staying rooted in the same community-first approach that helped earn them the Chamber’s recognition.

“It really made us feel like all of our hard work and time spent really paid off,” Samantha said of the award. “People noticed, and we’re just super thankful for that.”

Despite the long hours and constant movement that come with running a multi-vendor space, she said the experience has been worth it.

“It’s been really fun,” she said. “We’ve enjoyed it. We love working with people, getting to know the community. I don’t know what else to say, we’re just thankful.”

As for the Chamber recognition, Samantha said the moment served as encouragement to keep going.

“As long as we can, we’ll keep doing it,” she said. “We just really appreciate everyone who supports us.”

Discover Carbon County Celebrates Economic Growth Driven by Tourism

Publisher — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Discover Carbon County Celebrates Economic Growth Driven by Tourism Publisher Sat, 04/25/2026 - 07:00

Press Release

Discover Carbon County

Following the recent release of the 2025 Wyoming Economic Impact of Travel analysis, Discover Carbon County is highlighting the vital role the visitor economy plays in supporting local businesses and enhancing the quality of life for residents. The statewide report, developed by Dean Runyan Associates, reveals that while visitor volume remained steady compared to the previous year, spending reached new heights. In 2025, Carbon County welcomed visitors from across the globe who spent $239.2 million, a 2.3% increase from 2024. Within Carbon County, this industry serves as a catalyst for growth, generating essential tax revenue that funds infrastructure, public safety, and education. Local Impact Highlights • Visitor Spending: Total spending in Carbon County reached $239.2 million in 2025. • Tax Revenue: Tourism generated $15.5 million in local tax revenue, reducing the tax burden for residents. • Job Creation: The travel industry supported 1,680 jobs within the community. “Tourism is more than welcoming visitors; it’s about strengthening our communities. It supports local businesses, strengthens our economy, and helps preserve the places and heritage that define our community,” said Leslie Jefferson, CEO, Discover Carbon County. Tourism remains Wyoming’s second-largest industry, providing far-reaching benefits that extend into manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. By attracting visitors seeking authentic Western experiences and wide-open spaces, Carbon County continues to build a resilient and vibrant local economy. For more information on the economic impact of travel in Carbon County or to view the full state analysis, visit https://discovercarboncounty.com or https://industry.travelwyoming.com/research/annualreports.

To learn more about our beautiful Carbon County, visit DiscoverCarbonCounty.com. Adventure Out. FB: @carboncountywy or IG: @discovercarboncountywy About the Carbon County Visitors’ Council The Carbon County Visitors’ Council (CCVC) is the local lodging tax board.The board was formed in 1987 by a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). The members of the JPA are the Carbon County Commissioners and the towns of Baggs, Elk Mountain, Encampment, Hanna, Medicine Bow, Rawlins, Riverside, and Saratoga. CCVC’s Mission is to promote events, tourism, and the hospitality industry in Carbon County. CCVC Website: http://www.discovercarboncounty.com.

All West Brings Multi-Gig Fiber Internet to Rawlins

Publisher — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0000

All West Brings Multi-Gig Fiber Internet to Rawlins

Publisher Sat, 04/18/2026 - 19:30

Press Release

West Fiber

All West Fiber announced today the expansion of its multi-gig fiber broadband network, bringing high-speed internet access to more than 3,700 homes and businesses in the previously underserved Rawlins, Wyoming community. This investment is focused on bridging the digital divide and delivering future-ready connectivity typically found in larger metropolitan cities.

To mark the Rawlins launch, a groundbreaking event was held Wednesday, March 25, bringing together community leaders and All West representatives to celebrate the project and its impact on the community.

Construction will deliver a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network capable of multi-gig speeds up to 8 Gig. Upon completion, the All West footprint is expected to provide service to most homes and businesses in Rawlins, with more than 3,700 serviceable passings.

Construction began in March 2026, with the earliest service-ready passings expected in May. As the build progresses, additional areas will be made serviceable in phases.

“All West’s expansion of fiber broadband infrastructure into Rawlins represents a critical investment in the community’s long-term economic growth, quality of life and future readiness,” said Dirk Staton, VP of Engineering and Construction at All West Fiber. “High-speed fiber connectivity is no longer a luxury; it is essential infrastructure that enables residents and businesses to fully participate in the modern digital economy.”

This expansion addresses the need for faster speeds, improved reliability and more choice in a market where many residents have faced limited options and outdated infrastructure. By introducing All West’s fiber network, the company will help close connectivity gaps and better support the digital needs of the community.

Rawlins Council Member Steve Sanger, Ward 3, said he’s looking forward to the impact All West Fiber’s advanced network will have on the community.

“It’s a great thing to have fiber in the city for our homes and businesses,” Sanger said. “It’ll be a huge benefit to have access to faster speeds that we don’t have today. We see the impact of limited connectivity every day, so having All West Fiber come into the community will be amazing.”

The project is fully funded by All West as part of its ongoing commitment to expanding next-generation connectivity across the Mountain West. All West believes that everyone should have access to a high-quality internet connection at an affordable price and is stepping in to deliver that option where it has been limited.

Residents and businesses will be notified as service becomes available in their areas. For updates or to pre-register, visit allwest.com.

Skinny’s Reinvents Dining

Publisher — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Skinny’s Reinvents Dining

Publisher Sat, 04/18/2026 - 19:30

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Skinny’s in Hanna went through some transitions after COVID hit. Like many restaurants/bars, it had to close.

Owners Lenny and Katrina Powell had a place that many locals like to hang out and like many places in Carbon County towns, it has a very loyal following.

It is one of the few bars still left where customers can still smoke, but the restaurant part, which is in another section of the building, is non-smoking.

Katrina had started a restaurant business back in 2019 and it was called the Biscuit Barn.

Katrina is a good cook, as is her husband, Lenny.

“It was huge because it was a buffet that served breakfast and no one here did a buffet or breakfast,” Katrina said. “COVID happened and we were closed down for a year. The buffets did not open until later.”

When Skinny’s opened back up, the couple realized that if they only opened three days a week instead of seven, they saved on costs such as utilities and actually made more money because people came in concentration, versus being spread out over the days.

“We do better doing our business this way,” Katrina said. “I can’t say it would be better for other places.”

Initially, they decided not to do the restaurant again but Katrina admits to being a little bored after a year or so of no food. She decided to start bringing food back on a limited scale

Katrina has brought back the breakfast buffet every other Sunday.

“With summer coming, we will want to go to our cabin out in the mountains and we will wind it down on Memorial Day,” Katrina said. “We will also be open for Mother’s Day.”

Then there is Wednesday.

She cooks one meal. Nothing else. One Wednesday, it might be a beef burrito with green chili and the next week, chicken fried steak. It might be fried chicken with mashed potatoes and another Wednesday lasagne. When it is meatloaf or lasagne, that is Lenny cooking.

“It is mostly the same people that come because I don’t really do any advertising other than to say on Facebook or a flyer to say what the meal will be,” Katrina said. “Also, Barb Boldway makes all the desserts when we have supper and that makes the meals that much better.”

Customers readily testify that the food is excellent because it is homemade. The chicken-fried steak is not a product bought from a distributor.

“Most of the time we have 30 to 40 people, and sometimes we do get up to 70,” Katrina said. “And that is in two hours if we don’t sell out before. We have people call up and tell us they are coming, so it helps us prepare. If people come in and they didn’t call in advance, we will serve them if we have the food, but sometimes we do pre-sell out.”

Many restaurants would be happy with the sales she makes in just a couple of hours.

She does the dinner on Wednesday from 5 pm to 7 pm.

She, Barb and her niece, Mallory Neal, do the serving while Lenny attends to the bar, which gets busy during this time.

Customers can sit in the bar and also the dining room, which is a throwback to the 1950s or 1960s. There is a counter with built-in stools that reminds a person of a soda shop in the “Back to the Future” movie set. It also has an old-time jukebox. This is the Biscuit Barn.

The prices are reasonable, with meals that include dessert costing $12 to $15.

Friday nights, she is now venturing into cooking pizzas, which she said is becoming popular too.

Katrina said she is growing a restaurant naturally, with food that is in demand with locals and the few others who learn about the place by chance.

Katrina said there are times when she has food available on an off day, and she will take care of a customer.

“That is just southern hospitality,” Katrina said, who was born in Kentucky originally. “I don’t know any different.”

Katrina said she learned how to cook from her mamaw (grandmother), watching her and helping as the elder cooked for the Sunday family dinner.

“I watched as a young one and then they let me give it a try when I finally got old enough,” Katrina said. “I had an excellent teacher because everything was made from scratch.”

Lenny has always lived in Hanna, but Katrina moved to the town when her father left the coal mine in Kentucky to do mining work when Hanna was booming. She came out as she started senior high. Both are graduates of Hanna, Elk Mountain, High School. Lenny is four years older. They did know each other, but not well.

Katrina went to the University of Kentucky when she graduated where she graduated with a psychology degree and then to a vocational school, where she got a nursing degree.

Her mother, Patty, was a nurse in Saratoga and Katrina helped her when she was in high school.

Katrina came back to Carbon County and worked at a nursing home in Rawlins.

She met Lenny and they clicked.

They were together for 14 years and got married last year.

Both are excellent wood carvers. She said COVID was how they got interested in that hobby because they wanted something to keep busy while the restaurant was closed.

Their work sells when they go to local shows.

It is of superb quality.

The same passion for their wood carving goes into the food they serve at Skinny’s.

“We treat people like they are family and that they are really welcome,” Katrina said. “Our food does take a little time to make and prepare, but it is worth it.”

All customers in the bar, who are locals, agreed wholeheartedly.

Carbon County Nights Filled with Endless Stars

Publisher — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Carbon County Nights Filled with Endless Stars

Publisher Sat, 04/18/2026 - 19:30

Mike’s Big City Follows Family Traditions

Publisher — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Mike’s Big City Follows Family Traditions

Publisher Sat, 04/11/2026 - 07:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Michal Lujan’s family’s first restaurant in Rawlins was downtown and called the Chilli Parlor. This was 1972.

In 1973, his father, Joe, was looking to expand, and he was going to purchase a restaurant that was on the edge of the downtown area.

Lujan said his father was literally getting ready to sign the papers at the restaurant when another owner of a restaurant walked up to him as he was going to make the deal.

“So the fellow brought him to this restaurant, which was called the Willow Inn,” Lujan recounted. “It was a 24-hour Chinese restaurant and the owner offered to sell it to him for half the price of the other place.”

At the time, US 30 went down Spruce Street and it was a busy road.

“That is why you see so many old motels on this street that are now closed,” Lujan said. “So my parents bought this restaurant.”

Lujan said that because the restaurant was open 24-hours, there were no light switches. This was something they had to take care of almost immediately.

“Then a year or so later, the bypass was put in and US 30 was not coming through this part of Rawlins,” Lujan said. “All the trucks and buses stopped coming through here. This hurt, because we used to get six buses a day. This is why the owner sold the restaurant so cheaply.”

Spruce Street lost all this traffic and many restaurants and motels could not stay in business because of the low traffic volume.

There is a tradition that his mother started to help those who are hungry.

Lujan watched as his mother fed transients who found their way to the restaurant because she said, “No one would ever enter the restaurant and leave it hungry.”

Lujan also remembered when the football team he played on finished practice or a game, his father and mother would always feed the team.

“I remember some of those kids never got to experience eating out at a restaurant and how special it was to them, and that is why to this day, I bring teams up here to enjoy a free meal for team building,” Lujan said. “My parents would also have hot cocoa for the kids during Christmas. I remember these traditions, and that is why I honor them, and that is why we do the Thanksgiving dinner and Toy Drive during Christmas.”

Lujan appreciates the military and what they do for the Country so he has a table set aside for the missing vet. On Veterans Day, all vets and family members eat for free.

Lujan has been running the restaurant for 27 years.

Initially, when the restaurant opened, it was a New Mexico Mexican restaurant.

“Many of the people who came to Rawlins prior to the 2000s came from New Mexico,” Lujan said. “They followed the railroad jobs, the sheep industry, when all that was booming in Carbon County. These New Mexicans actually started settling here in the 1900s. The food they brought with them was Albuquerque or Taos style. This food in Rawlins was the go to meals for many restaurants. You had Su Casa, Cloverleaf and this restaurant.”

Lujan said all the Mexican food trucks and the newer restaurants that are Mexican are not New Mexican style.

“What you have now is Mexican style, literally from Mexico,” Lujan said. “The only authentic Mexican food in New Mexico is at Su Casa in Sinclair and me.”

Lujan started doing steaks when he took over. He also started to focus more on his bar too. He was a busy place and he also did catering.

Then, when he was catering a meal at the Carbon County Fair, his restaurant caught on fire.

He remembers having to cancel the dinner and then discovered his walk-in had kept some food unscathed and he was able to provide a meal. He remembers John Rutherford, currently the Carbon County Fire Warden, rescuing a huge rack of elk antlers.

When the place reopened, he and his sister decided the restaurant would focus on food and not so much on the bar.

“When the restaurant closes at 8, the bar closes,” Lujan said. “Food is our focus.”

Michael’s Big City has an extensive menu for steaks.

There is a Delmonico, Porterhouse, Prime Rib and Sirloin. Some steaks come with seafood, and country-fried steaks are made in-house; they are not a frozen product.

Not to be forgotten is his Tomahawk ribeye that has the bone still attached to the ribeye.

His best-selling steaks are the Delmonico and Prime Rib.

Staying true to the New Mexico Mexican, he serves a little chimichanga with the steak in addition to all the other sides.

He has burgers such as the Avocado/Jalapeno burger, the Bleu Bayou Cheeseburger made with blue cheese and the original Hangover Burger, which consists of burger, bacon, egg, hash browns and onions.

There is a prime rib sandwich with sauteed onions, Swiss cheese and mushrooms.

Lujan said his sides are fresh and homemade.

He said when he was a kid, once a year, his family would go to Sizzler Steakhouse. The steaks were fine, but the sides were canned vegetables and mushy. He remembered how terrible those vegetables were and how he would never serve them at his restaurant.

He also has a soup and salad bar.

“It is amazing,” Lujan said. “I make homemade soups and I have 25 items on our salad bar, which comes with your entrees.

Lujan points out that his appetizer menu is full of homemade items.

His biggest seller that is not steak or burgers is the Burrito Bowl, which has cilantro lime rice, topped with black beans, fire roasted corn and Queso Blanco, and crema, avocado and salsa.

The restaurant does have a bar that is attractive and serves beer, wines and drinks. People meet to drink a little and eat at the bar. Lujan is serious when he says the bar closes with the restaurant.

Beef has gotten expensive.

Hamburger runs $4 a pound and ribeyes $17 a pound.

“We have to charge accordingly,” Lujan said. “People don’t realize how expensive it is to buy the product.”

When pricing, it is not just the meat, but also the labor and sides that go along with the meal. With the rising cost of gas, food is getting more expensive.

Lujan does his best to keep prices down but he does have to make his items turn a profit.

“I could cut down on portions, but to me it is a pride thing, I want customers to leave here full and happy,” Lujan said. “Our steaks are cut to order which, means we can cut bigger ones too. They are also aged 28 days.”

Lujan said he will be putting out a new menu in the near future.

He considers his restaurant fast, casual, and fine dining.

Mike’s Big City does deliveries and it is his drivers who take the food out.

Lujan tries to talk to every table.

The interior is eclectic. The chandeliers are from Mexico and he has pictures from many sources.

One of his proudest items on the wall is his collection of challenge coins.

“They are made special for law enforcement, first responders or military,” Lujan said. “They give them to people when they have done something special or meaningful. These great people see coins mean something to me because of what they did for others, and they give them to me. I am eternally grateful they shared these with me.”

Lujan also volunteers his time with Carbon County Search and Rescue and St. Christopher’s Highway, an organization that helps stranded visitors and goes to the Rawlins Middle School to present a program called La Coccina, which means the kitchen. The students learn the basics of culinary, such as what proper food temperatures are, why food is important, and safety.

He supplies the food, gloves, hair ties and anything else needed.

“We have fun for 40 minutes,” Lujan said. “They cook, they eat and clean up.”

Lujan is proud of what the restaurant has offered the community in the past, the present and the future.

“We are blessed to be here,” Lujan said. “My dad used to wake up every morning and he would thank God saying, ‘Thank you for letting me do it again.’ I know what he meant.”