Business

Energy Day Sparks Curiosity at the Carbon County Fair

Publisher — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Energy Day Sparks Curiosity at the Carbon County Fair

Publisher Sat, 08/08/2026 - 19:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Energy Day at the Carbon County Fair is an opportunity for kids to get to learn about different companies that supply utilities in a fun and educational way.

There are electric companies, gas companies and engineering and consulting companies that give the kids the opportunity to ask questions.

WLC Engineering does a lot of work around Wyoming and has offices in Rawlins and Casper. Emily Boyd said the company has been coming to Energy Day since it first started five years ago. The company works with Sinclair and Carbon Power. WLC was giving out squirt guns and they gave out surveying coloring books. The idea is to make children aware of what engineering does in the energy field.

“We have had over 100 kids come up to us,” Boyd said. “We had 120 bags of surveying coloring books and they are all gone.”

Abigail Ramler works for Ayers Consulting and the company does landscape architecture, engineering and planning. Ramler works in their environmental department. Their game had a spin on a wheel where the color corresponded to a question and a prize was given to a kid who answered.

The questions were not easy.

David Fisher, 11. was asked what he would like to see on landscaped, designed property.

“I would like to see houses built for people that are in need of homes and parks that are green space for kids,” Fisher said. “That would be my answer.”

Carbon Power’s Andrew Everett said the company showed off a digger that puts poles in the ground.

“It gives kids a chance to see heavy equipment and what it takes to get power to them,” Everett said. “We had a really good turnout and the kids were really interested and they gained some good information about their local power company

Black Hills Energy had smaller displays of equipment and pipes for kids to touch. Jesse Henderson, the Damage Prevention Coordinator, explained the value of understanding and the importance of knowing where pipes were and how easily they could be damaged if not careful.

“If we can get 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders to know that 811 should be called before any digging can be done, that would be great,” Henderson said. “We don’t want anyone to be put in jeopardy or get hurt or killed. It doesn’t matter if you are putting in a tree, a deck or doing some landscaping, you need to make a call.”

Black Hills Energy is about being proactive in understanding digging, according to Henderson.

His presentation is interesting to adults too.

“I think the more education we give, the better,” Laurie Farcus, Black Hills Energy Public Relations, said. “By having these tools and pipes you can visualize what is underground because as they say a picture or in this case, the pipe is worth a thousand words.”

Farcus and Henderson pointed out August 11 is national 811 day.

Energy Day at Carbon County Fair was once again fun and educational for the kids.

Carbon County Library System Announces New Hours

Publisher — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Carbon County Library System Announces New Hours Publisher Sat, 08/08/2026 - 19:00

Press Release

Carbon County Library System

The Carbon County Library System is pleased to announce new operating hours for all seven library locations. The new schedules took effect August 1, 2026, and reflect the remarkable support of communities across Carbon County.

While county funding provides for 60 hours of library service each week, the generosity of local residents, organizations and community partners has expanded that total to 101 hours of open library service each week.

“Are libraries important to the residents of Carbon County? Yes!” said Jenita Calton, interim library director. “The incredible support we have received from individuals, Friends groups, local governments and grant providers demonstrates how much our communities value their libraries.”

Rawlins Library

The Rawlins Library is open 26 hours per week. Storytime and Sit and Stitch will continue through the generosity of individuals in Rawlins.

• Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Thursday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Friday: Noon to 6 p.m.

Saratoga Library

The Saratoga Library is open 30 hours per week through the generous support of the Saratoga Friends of the Library.

• Monday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Tuesday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Encampment Library

The Encampment Library is open 15 hours per week through the generous support of the Friends of the Encampment/Riverside Library.

• Monday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Wednesday: Noon to 5 p.m.

• Thursday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Elk Mountain Library

Supported by the Elk Mountain Town Council, the Elk Mountain Library is open 10 hours per week.

• Tuesday: Noon to 5 p.m.

• Thursday: Noon to 5 p.m.

Little Snake River Valley Library

The Little Snake River Valley Library is open 10 hours per week through the generosity of the Little Snake River Valley Friends of the Library.

• Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Wednesday: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• Thursday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hanna Library

The Hanna Library is open 5 hours per week through grants from Wyoming Intertie and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.

• Tuesday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Medicine Bow Library

The Medicine Bow Library is open 5 hours per week through grants from Wyoming Intertie and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.

• Thursday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Despite the reduced hours at some locations, every Carbon County library continues to provide the services patrons have come to expect, including:

• New books, movies and other library materials

• Interlibrary loan services

• Copying and fax services

• Public computers

• Free Wi-Fi

• Educational and community programs

• Friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to help answer questions and solve problems

The Carbon County Library System extends its sincere appreciation to the many individuals, Friends organizations, grant providers, local governments and community partners whose generosity has made these expanded hours possible. Their support ensures that libraries remain vibrant community centers where residents can learn, connect and access valuable resources throughout Carbon County.

Serving Up Support for Carbon County Libraries

Publisher — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:15:00 +0000

Serving Up Support for Carbon County Libraries

Publisher Sat, 07/18/2026 - 20:15

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

The Semiquintential Carbon County Celebration in Rawlins saw the Sunday evening come to a close with music and food.

The food being offered was a fundraiser for the Carbon County Library System by people who wanted to help. Jenita Calton, who works with the Carbon County Library Foundation, along with her daughter Mira Miller were at the food stand to help the people in their effort to raise funds and awareness for the Carbon County Library System.

“The fundraiser tonight at the Old Depot in Rawlins is being used to supplement the staffing in Rawlins beyond the appropriations from the commissioners for the Carbon County Library System,” were the words written by Calton to explain why the fundraiser was being held.

Miller said, “ The Carbon County Library Foundation is glad to come out tonight to help with this fundraiser and we have a group of Rawlins people who are putting it on and providing support and anybody else around the County who wants to do their own fundraiser, the Foundation has a small grant program to support that.”

It is expected to cost almost $500,000 to operate all seven Carbon County libraries this year after reducing hours at all branches.

The county has allocated $184,262 toward library operations, only 37% of the total cost to run the Library System, instead of the typical 55 percent. This has left the funding gap of over $315,000. The Library System received less than 1 percent of this year’s Carbon County Government budget.

For nearly a decade, non-county funding covered roughly 45 percent of the total cost of operating the Carbon County Library System. This funding came from grants, municipal contributions, Foundation support, Friends groups, carryover, and community donations. This shared model allowed seven libraries to operate across the county while keeping services strong and accessible.

The fundraiser at the Semiquincentennial Celebration, run by people sympathetic to the Carbon County Library System, is an example of people trying to help.

There is an acronym Miller the Library Foundation is using in talking about helping the libraries. It is called SAVE.

“As library advocates across the County, we have come up with this acronym called SAVE the libraries.

S stands for support, so support financially.

A stands for advocate, advocate to the commissioners or other people who have control over the budget.

V stands for vote, as in vote for the sales tax to help more funds come to the County, which would likely mean more money for the libraries.

E stands for engage, which means start your own group or join an existing group to help raise money for the libraries.”

The group had to be happy that people were coming up before the stand was open to show their support for the libraries and wanted to contribute what they could.

Valley Creative Collective Opens with Community Art Walk

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

Valley Creative Collective Opens with Community Art Walk

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

By Dana Davis

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Art, music and community came together June 24 as Valley Creative Collective celebrated its grand opening with an Art Walk that highlighted local artists and four Saratoga businesses dedicated to creativity.

Created by Marie Christen, Valley Creative Collective is designed as a gathering place where visitors can browse local artwork, enjoy a cup of coffee, participate in workshops and connect with fellow artists. The new space also offers hands-on activities, including 3D DIY paper craft kits for children, teens and adults looking for a creative, screen-free project.

The grand opening invited guests to visit all four participating locations — Valley Creative Collective, Studio T Art Gallery, The Lucky Pearl and Aspen Sky Merchant Mall and Gift Shop — collecting stamps along the way for a chance to win a raffle prize. Complimentary appetizers and refreshments were served throughout the evening.

Entertainment was provided by The Bird + The Bear, a Nashville-based husband-and-wife Americana and folk duo, while artist Jerry Wood demonstrated his sculpting techniques during a live presentation, giving visitors an opportunity to watch a work of art take shape.

The event also encouraged guests to spend time visiting with local artists, learning about their creative process and seeing demonstrations firsthand.

At Studio T Art Gallery, jewelry artist Carol States worked on one of her intricate beaded bracelets while chatting with visitors.

“I’m working on one of my bracelets to put it in display over here,” States said as she carefully threaded tiny beads using magnifying glasses that once belonged to her dental practice. “These are my old dental glasses, magnifying glasses. So I get to put them to new use to do the really tiny beads.”

For States, creating jewelry offers more than just an artistic outlet.

“Well, it’s like a meditation,” she said. “You know how it is when you have a hobby that you love to do — you can kind of get lost in it.”

Studio T owner Trisha Kauffman also featured live demonstrations by artist Theresa Ramsey while introducing visitors to artists Hope Waldner, Nada Mathis and photographer Kyle Warren.

Just down the street, The Lucky Pearl welcomed Art Walk participants with local artwork, sales and giveaways while congratulating Valley Creative Collective on its opening. Aspen Sky Merchant Mall and Gift Shop also joined the celebration, showcasing Wyoming-made artwork alongside gifts, antiques and handcrafted items.

Following the event, Christen thanked the community for its overwhelming support.

“What an incredible day,” she said. “We were blown away by the support from our community. It was such a joy to see so many familiar faces, meet new friends and share our space with all of you.”

She also recognized the artists who helped make the evening a success.

“A special thank you to each of our talented artists who displayed their work, spent time visiting with guests and helped make the event so memorable,” Christen said. “Your creativity and passion are what make this space so special, and we’re grateful to have you as part of the Valley Creative Collective family.”

Nada Mathis was announced as the winner of the grand opening raffle drawing.

Reflecting on the evening, Christen said the event accomplished exactly what she had envisioned for the new business.

Aviation Company Lands in Rawlins

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

Aviation Company Lands in Rawlins Publisher Sat, 07/11/2026 - 07:00

Press Release

NorthEast Planes Aviation, Inc.

NorthEast Planes Aviation, Inc. is pleased to announce the company’s arrival in Rawlins!

As of July 1, the company has opened it’s administrative office in downtown Rawlins at 405 W. Cedar St., Suite B. We are now open for business as the Rawlins Flight Academy, with trade name registration with the state pending our first operations.

We will be offering Discovery Flights, Aircraft rentals, Pilot supplies, Casual flight training, and our specialty, a Professional Pilot Program. The Professional program will enable you to begin earning your living flying airplanes in as little as 8 months.

Our website is active at www.northeast-planes.com, so please feel free to log on and send us a contact form if you’re ready to learn to fly!

One final note, hiring for administrative positions are anticipated in August or September.

Questions and appointment requests may also be directed to the company’s CEO, Elliott Arthur at his cell phone, 970-888-0088, or by email at lar.administration@northeast-planes.com.

AI Expert Says There Are No AI Experts

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

AI Expert Says There Are No AI Experts

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

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Steve Priest, resident of Elk Mountain and educator, will tell you he is not an expert on Artificial Intelligence (AI), although after listening to him, that might be disputed.

He points out that the term AI has been around since the 1950s.

In 1956, the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence at Dartmouth College is considered the birthplace of the start of AI. Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) were also pioneers of AI during this time.

“They were trying to get computers to do things that humans could do,” Priest said. “There was this group of scientists that would get together and talk about it, and see what they could do. In the group, there was this one scientist who was always trying to dominate. I compare it to the TV show “Big Bang Theory” to where the character Sheldon was always butting in and trying to take over the conversation.”

Priest said this scientist dominated the study group so much and couldn’t concentrate on where they wanted the technology to go that the others decided to say they were going to have a meeting on “Artificial Intelligence” because the “Sheldon” scientist had no interest in the subject.

“It worked,” Priest said. “The scientists got to talk about all the subject matter they wanted to and called the meeting “Artificial Intelligence,” and that was how the term came about. That is the only reason we call it “Artificial Intelligence,” and it has been around for years.”

Priest said most people are comfortable with AI as it has progressed from the 1950s.

“I remember being in grade school and the IBM computer beat a chess champion in chess. That was machine learning and people were impressed with that,” Priest said. “We are comfortable with our banks calling us and telling us about possible bank fraud. Many people are comfortable talking with their assistants on their phone. AI has been helping us for a long time.”

Priest pointed out AI has helped regulate building temperatures for a number of years, whether it has been greenhouses, barns or office buildings.

“People are actually more comfortable with AI than they realize,” Priest said. “Where people became uncomfortable was in 2022 when they launched ChatGPT, and we started generative artificial intelligence. It is different from AI before because it generates something. Generative AI is predictive; it is trained on a lot of data, but it is based on statistics. It generates text; it generates video and audio.”

Generative pre-trained transformers (GPT) are large language models (LLMs) that generate text based on the semantic relationships between words in sentences. Text-based GPT models are pre-trained on a large corpus of text that can be from the Internet. The pretraining consists of predicting the next token (a token being usually a word, subword, or punctuation). Throughout this pretraining, GPT models accumulate knowledge about the world and can then generate human-like text by repeatedly predicting the next token. Typically, a subsequent training phase makes the model more truthful, useful, and harmless, usually with a technique called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). Current GPT models are prone to generating falsehoods called “hallucinations”. These can be reduced with RLHF and quality data, but the problem has been getting worse for reasoning systems. Such systems are used in chatbots, which allow people to ask a question or request a task in simple text.

Current models and services include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and Meta AI. Multimodal GPT models can process different types of data (modalities) such as images, videos, sound, and text.

“AI GPT models are growing at an exponential rate. It grows because it trains on data. It is taking in the data and the more data it takes in, the better the model becomes. That is why these data centers that are getting built are so huge,” Priest said. “We have had data centers for years being used for gaming, banking, insurance and they have been around since the internet. There are more people requesting the compute and that is why they have the centers and they charge for the token. So many tokens are used per request. Depending on the model, more tokens are used, and the companies charge for tokens.”

Priest used the analogy that when cell phones first came out, a person could send a text, but for every text sent, the texter was charged per text. The reason users were charged was because the infrastructure was not quite there to support everyone sending texts. Now there are unlimited texts and data on cell phones because the structure is there.

AI is like when cell phones started. The infrastructure is not fully developed.

“That is why there is such a push to build all these data centers in the U.S. and it is still expensive to run out of tokens,” Priest said. “The businesses that are using AI are having to watch how much they are using it because they can run out of tokens.”

Priest said this happens even more when talking about Agentic AI.

AI agents are software entities designed to perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions autonomously to achieve specific goals. They are a level higher than GPT. These agents can interact with users, their environment, or other agents. AI agents are used in various applications, including virtual assistants, chatbots, autonomous vehicles, game-playing systems, and industrial robotics. AI agents operate within the constraints of their programming, available computational resources, and hardware limitations. This means they are restricted to performing tasks within their defined scope and have finite memory and processing capabilities. In real-world applications, AI agents often face time constraints for decision-making and action execution. Many AI agents incorporate learning algorithms, enabling them to improve their performance over time through experience or training. Using machine learning, AI agents can adapt to new situations and optimize their behaviour for their designated tasks. They use more tokens and this form of AI is not usually free like GPT.

“You can run out of tokens pretty quickly,” Priest said. “We are not there yet with the infrastructure for the amount of compute that is available or the amount of data centers available.”

Priest said he has read articles where there is a claim that the heavy water usage problem has been solved.

“They have a new plan that would basically wipe out the water use at all,” Priest said. “If it is true or not, I don’t know it for a fact, but I know it is something that is being researched. Companies are definitely building models that will use less. They do use a lot of power. Some of these companies are putting in hundreds of servers. A lot of companies are building their own power stations, so they are not on the grid.”

Priest said a person would not want any personally identifiable information (PII) in a model.

“If you would not want it on a billboard, you would not put it into a model,” Priest said. “I am a big believer in AI literacy. We have to teach people how to use it responsibly, effectively and ethically. I am a believer in this because AI is a tool. AI is not always the right tool. Part of AI literacy is understanding when to use AI and when I should not. AI is only getting better and more prevalent everywhere. Any software you buy today has AI baked in it. This can be a problem if the data is sensitive and how do you adjust to this? You have to figure out what to do with this “shadow” AI because it is everywhere.”

Priest said AI has become a marketing tool with software, where sellers promote the software that comes with AI.

“Sometimes, you don’t need AI in software. It is not always the right tool for some software,” Priest said. “That is a part of AI literacy. People need to be trained responsibly, effectively and ethically so they can make an informed decision if they need it or not.”

Priest has gone to a lot of large conferences on AI, including one that had Jeffrey Hinton, known as the godfather of AI. The presenter at this particular one with Hinton, said there are no experts in AI.

“The presenter said we are all in this together. We are all learning this at the same time. The presenter said anyone who says they are an expert is trying to sell you something,” Priest said. “The guy likened AI people who have strong knowledge are like a piano teacher who is two or three lessons ahead of the student. I relate to it. People come up to me often as a sort of expert and I have to tell them I am not.”

Priest was a principal at Hanna, Elk Mountain, and Medicine Bow High School before taking a position at the Wyoming Department of Education four years ago. He has evolved into the department’s digital go-to person.

“I think I am referred to as the digital learning consultant,” Priest said. “I have also been referred to as an innovation program consultant.”

He is very knowledgeable about the tech industry, including AI and its applications, compared to many people, but he will say there are no experts in AI.

“I am not a dedicated AI consultant. I have other things that I do,” Priest said. “I think there are five dedicated AI consultants in the country. Wyoming is probably one of the leaders in the country working on AI in the Department of Education. We are recognized nationally.”

Beautiful Bubbles

Publisher — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Beautiful Bubbles

Publisher Sat, 06/27/2026 - 07:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Hibiscus, Rosehips, Roasted Chicory, Orange Peel, Blackberry Leaves, and Raspberry Leaves are all in this product.

Is it tea?

No, it is soap.

The brand is Beautiful Bubbles by Livvy B.

It can be found in the store Mystical Wonders at 2100 E. Cedar Street.

Olivia Bowen is Livvy B, the founder of these products.

She started Beautiful Bubbles in February, but Bowen has been making soap since she was in high school.

“It was for a science project,” Bowen said. “After I did it, I said, ‘Wow, I learned how to make soap.’”

She said that the idea to do soap now came from a dream.

“I woke up and scared my husband, because I came from my sleep, yelling beautiful bubbles,” Bowen said. “That is how it started.”

Tracy McPherson, owner of Mystical Wonders in Rawlins, tried Bowen’s soaps and offered her a space to set up in her store.

“I have fairly sensitive skin and usually I break out when I try something new, but that did not happen,” McPherson said. “I wouldn’t sell it here if it was not quality products.

McPherson and Bowen have been friends for several years and have worked together.

Bowen said recently she has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

“I had to come out of the work force because my body started slowing down and I couldn’t keep up,” Bowen said. “I had to find something that I could keep up with and I wanted to do something that would help people. I said to myself, ‘Too bad I just can’t sit down and do soap, because it is something I can sit down and sell it.’ Then I realized, why not?”

By selling it in Mystical Wonders, she doesn’t have to pay an excise tax, because McPherson has it for her store.

“She is a vendor,” McPherson said. “It is like if I bought something online or something like that. I try to carry products that are local.”

Bowen was raised in Southern California by a single mom for several years.

“I was taught to have empathy because it fuels who you are,” Bowen said. “If you don’t have empathy, then you start forgetting other people around you exist.”

Bowen creates her soap and cleaning products with people in mind.

She came to Hanna around four years ago with her husband, Gerald, who had a job with the Penitentiary.

McPherson and Bowen started talking before Bowen came to Wyoming. Bowen bought something from McPherson on Etsy. That was 2021. Bowen and McPherson met in person in Hanna, and then both were hired at the Hanna Recreation Center when it was still open.

They later worked together at the Boys and Girls Club in Rawlins. Bowen injured her shoulder and had to quit.

So now she is making soap and looking to make people happy with it.

“I include all my ingredients on the soap, so there are a lot of chemicals left out that you would find in some store-bought soap,” Bowen said. “Do I make my soap from scratch? No, because it is not a good idea for a person who has tremors to try to mix raw chemicals all the time. I buy the soap base and then add everything.”

She has shampoo in a bar. There is a wash for beards along with gentle soaps for the face and body.

Currently, her soap is goat milk base or baby buttermilk base.

“I am going to move into a tallow base, but I need to find a sustainable source,” Bowen said. “Where I source it is very important to me. I am going to be moving into butters too, which are shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter. They will be for people who have really dry skin.”

She said vanilla is the most popular scent, followed by jasmine, green tea, rose and lavender.

“I have been surprised by how many men really like the lavender,” Bowen said. “I am talking about construction workers and blue-collar workers. It just was not the demographic I had pictured for that product.”

She makes her goat’s milk products with tea. That is why they look freckled. Bowen also has scrubs for the body and face and they are made with sugar and salt.

“Turmeric is very popular,” Bowen said. “She tries to source locally.”

Bowen’s products are selling briskly and that makes her happy.

“The best part of all this is that I feel useful,” Bowen said. “Because the worst feeling in the world is feeling useless, especially when you have something running against you like your health.”

City of Rawlins Announces New Parks and Recreation Director

Publisher — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000

City of Rawlins Announces New Parks and Recreation Director

Publisher Sat, 06/27/2026 - 07:00

Press Release

City of Rawlins

The City of Rawlins is pleased to announce the hiring of Billy Hunt as the new Parks and Recreation Director. Hunt joined the City full-time this week and brings more than a decade of leadership experience in athletics, management, and community engagement. Passionate about the role parks and recreation play in building strong communities, Hunt will lead the Parks and Recreation Department, including the Rawlins Recreation Center, Rochell Ranch Golf Course, Indoor and Outdoor Shooting Ranges, and Parks.

City Manager Matt Hall welcomed Hunt to the organization and community. “Billy brings a strong combination of leadership experience, operational knowledge, and enthusiasm to this role,” Hall said. “His energy, passion for community engagement, and commitment to building strong programs stood out throughout the hiring process. Parks and Recreation play an important role in the quality of life we provide for our residents, and we are excited to have Billy leading the department. I look forward to working with Billy on the ideas and experience he brings to Rawlins.”

Hunt is relocating to Rawlins from Arizona. Throughout his career, he has led community-focused organizations including athletic operations, hospitality management, and federal government administration including expertise in staff development and community programs. Outside of work, he enjoys sports and athletics, spending time outdoors, and hiking. He looks forward to becoming part of the Rawlins community and building on the department’s existing successes.

“I am excited to join the Rawlins community as the Director of Parks and Recreation,” Hunt said. “Parks and recreation bring people together, create lifelong memories, and strengthen communities. I look forward to working alongside our residents, staff, and community partners to build on the great work already happening and create opportunities for everyone to enjoy.”

For more information, please contact Mira Miller, City of Rawlins Community Relations/PIO at 307-328-4500 ext. 1022. Interested in receiving news from the City? Sign up for news via email or text at www.rawlinswy.gov/notifyme under “City of Rawlins News.”

Cafe Cawek Brings Family Flavor and Warm Welcome to Rawlins

Publisher — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Cafe Cawek Brings Family Flavor and Warm Welcome to Rawlins

Publisher Sat, 06/27/2026 - 07:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

“The Cafe Cawek is named after my family,” Alma Magallanes, the owner of the cafe, said. “It is a combination of all initials of my husband and my children.”

The Cafe Cawek is located in the shopping mall at 2100 East Cedar Street that houses Rawlins Glass, Mystical Wonders, Raw Store and other businesses.

Cafe Cawek has been open for a little over a year and it is enjoyed by residents who know of its existence.

Magallenes has lived in Rawlins for over 35 years.

“My daughter, Karla, was the one who suggested I open a cafe here,” Magallanes said. “There were businesses here and she thought people who worked here would enjoy having a place they could get to easily, especially in bad weather.”

Magallanes said she wasn’t sure, but her two sons encouraged her to also do the cafe.

“They paid for everything to get me set up,” Magallanes said. Then she laughed. “Then they sent me to work.”

Magallanes credits her mother for her ability to cook and she always enjoyed it.

Magallanes said Cafe Cawek is a true family business.

She is grateful her family has so much faith in her.

If a person tastes her food, it is easy to see why they have the faith.

She is open Tuesday through Saturday.

Magallanes said the Cafe Cawek started out doing breakfast, but recently she has started focusing more on lunch-style meals. Her hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Although she does Mexican food well, the cafe is not centered on Mexican cuisine.

It has an assortment of coffee drinks and delicious sandwiches.

“We have one Mexican sandwich; the others are more French oriented,” Magallanes said. “It is really what I would call casual fare.”

She does a breakfast burrito, which is Mexican cuisine and then she has banana crepes and strawberry Nutella crepes which have their roots in French cuisine.

The Warrior is a waffle, hot honey, chicken tenders and arugula. The Soul is Focaccia, cranberry sauce, turkey, and mozzarella. Brie, spinach and tomato. It is Magallanes’ favorite.

Then there is The Maker, which is Ciabatta, olive oil, pepperoni, salami, provolone, spinach, tomato and purple onion. The Daysy is a croissant, whipped cream cheese, strawberries and sugar. The Armor is a BLT with mayo on white bread. Magallanes has a sandwich called the BYOS, where the customer picks out the bread, meat, spread and cheese.

The cafe has fresh-baked bread and it makes her sandwiches that much better. There is Concha bread, which is puffy and looks like a shell with a sprinkling of sugar and then there is bread of the day.

Cafe Cawek has excellent coffee drinks to choose from, which are reasonably priced and its milkshakes should not be missed when coming to enjoy a meal. There is a protein milkshake called the Wise, so some of the creamy beverages are healthy too.

The cafe has fresh juice drinks also.

The seating area allows her to interact with customers and that is certainly part of the charm of the cafe. Magallanes is friendly and kind. She takes an interest in her customers and makes sure they are going to be happy with the meal that she serves them.

The kitchen, which is actually quite large, allows customers to watch Magallanes prepare her food and drinks. One can see firsthand the care she takes in making the food and beverages. It is also exceptionally clean.

Magallanes said her daughter comes up with the ideas for the different dishes and drinks.

Her daughter’s creativity makes some delicious meals.

Cafe Cawek is a small, family-run operation, but it consistently delivers food and drink that are a pleasant surprise to discover. Guests often find it especially rewarding because Magallanes is so warm, friendly, and welcoming, and makes it work no matter the weather.

Saratoga’s Canary Barn Enters New Era of Events

Publisher — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Saratoga’s Canary Barn Enters New Era of Events

Publisher Sat, 06/20/2026 - 07:00

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

The Canary Barn has long been a familiar landmark on the Saratoga landscape. Now, owner Chris Osborne hopes it will become just as well known as a gathering place for concerts, weddings, fundraisers and community celebrations, beginning with a John Denver tribute concert on June 28. Listening to YouTube of Collins’ songs, it is easy to understand why Osborne said it is like listening to the singer John Denver.

Osborne may have started events at the Canary Barn a little over a year ago, but he explains the barn has a long history.

“Established in 1914, this historic structure was the vision and accomplishment of J.D. Canary. A fine cattleman, entrepreneur, and early day oilman, he brought his prized Hereford herd to Saratoga. The barn was built and designed specifically to serve his cattle and haying operations. The lower-level stalls could house 90 bulls. The main level stalled 12 horses and was large enough to allow a team and wagon the ability to enter the barn and turn around to exit. Among many things, it featured electricity and running water. The Canary Barn at the time of its completion was considered perhaps the most modern barn of its kind in the United States. It truly remains an architectural masterpiece.”

Osborne said Canary built the barn but it changed hands.

“The barn and ranch changed hands,” Osborne said. “It was a sheep ranch at one time, it was a dairy for a while where it was the Canary Dairy, and for our family and our partners, we have had it for 50-plus years now.”

Osborne said it is still an operating ranch.”

He said the ranch side of the business is called the Saratoga Land and Cattle Company. The venue entity of the ranch is called the Canary Barn and Saratoga Ranch.

“I formed a 501c3 called the Boots and Spurs Non-profit corporation, because the purpose of the gala was two fold,” Osborne said. “I am in the restaurant business, and when my partners and I open restaurants, we always have a kind of a special day. It is a mock service day, where we are not truly open, but we act like we are. We invite friends, family, local dignitaries and then we pick a needy cause in our community.”

Osborne has done this in other places and helps organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the YMCA. Last year Osborne had a huge charity event for the Valley’s FFA.

The events held at the Canary Barn don’t give a full picture of what Osborne designed the barn for.

A wedding at the barn can be a spectacular experience.

He recently bought a vis-a-vis carriage that is brand new for a bride and groom to ride around in before and after their wedding.

“It is brand new,” Osborne said. “It can be used to go to the wedding terrace that we have.”

The carriage came from Jasper, Missouri.

Osborne has a palomino horse to pull the carriage.

He has a building for the bride and her entourage to get ready before the wedding and he has a building dedicated to the groom and his party. The women’s building is filled with mirrors and amenities to help prepare for going down the aisle, whereas the men’s building has state of the art workout machines and a small bar that is stocked with good spirits.

Osborne mentions swallows that have been coming to the barn for generations. They can be messy sometimes, but he said they are protected and it is something the Canary Barn deals with in a positive manner.

“The Migratory Bird Act of 1917 says you are not supposed to bother them, once they have become established,” Osborne said.

Gail Osborne, Chris Osborne’s wife, is credited with making the grounds look beautiful with different flowers she plants during the season.

There is a state of the art “potty trailer”. It is the type used by movie sets for their stars. Golf clubs use them when doing tournaments.

“It has climate control and music in it,” Osborne said. “They are expensive.”

Osborne said the barn has lights all around it, and it shows off the place at nighttime.

The barn comfortably holds 175 people but Osborne said he has had 215 attend an event, which included staff.

Walking through the redone barn has pictures donated by long-term Saratoga resident Dick Perue.

Osborne is remodeling the tack room and sees it becoming a gallery of sorts.

“We are constantly changing and upgrading the barn and land around it,” Osborne said. “We are ready to go for events, but we are always improving. I am always messing around to make the place better.”

The table and settings are impressive when one goes into the barn and near the stage. Chandeliers are large. The service bar is well thought out due to Osborne’s strong restaurant background.

There is also a large party tent for outdoors.

Osborne has tried to anticipate what any event can need.

A high school prom has been held there, along with graduation parties.

While the Canary Barn’s walls still reflect its ranching heritage, its future is being shaped by the people who gather there. From concerts and charity galas to weddings, proms and family celebrations, Osborne hopes each event adds another chapter to the story of a building that has stood as a Saratoga landmark for more than a century. As the summer season gets underway, the historic barn is once again ready to welcome visitors, this time not for cattle and hay, but for music and memories.