Latest news with #Laramie
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Young girl dies while selling lemonade with her best friend
A ten-year-old girl died after she was struck by a truck while selling lemonade with her best friend. Sawyer Costa, 10, was taken off of life support on Saturday after she was hit by a truck and suffered a traumatic brain injury on May 24. According to her mother, Kim Costa, the young girl was crossing the street near a local golf course in Laramie, Wyoming, which is about an hour outside Cheyenne when tragedy struck. Kim told Cowboy State Daily that she wasn't aware of what led to the crash, but that her daughter knew to look both ways before crossing the road. reached out to the Wyoming Highway Patrol for an update on the investigation, but didn't immediately hear back. 'I would definitely say we're in shock right now,' she told the publication. 'I don't know how we're going to do without her, we're just numb.' 'She was the biggest firecracker. Everybody loved her — and you had your hands full with her,' Kim added. Her mom, Kim, remembered Sawyer as 'fearless' and said their family was still in shock from the devastating tragedy She said her daughter played co-ed hockey and didn't mind playing with the boys, adding that Sawyer was 'fearless.' The family's unimaginable loss is the latest string of tragedies to hit their community, after Sawyer's father was involved in a car accident last year. Sawyer's father, Brett Costa, was paralyzed below his rib cage after the rollover accident. Brett was involved in the local hockey community with his daughter and even coached her team. The Laramie Amateur Hockey Club has rallied around the Costas in the wake of two unimaginable tragedies. The club shared a fundraiser on GoFundMe for the family, writing in the description, 'This devastating situation comes just over a year after another traumatic event rocked the Costa family—when dad, Brett, was involved in a serious car accident that left him permanently paralyzed. 'That life-altering incident was a massive challenge for the family, both emotionally and financially, and now they are once again faced with unimaginable hardship. 'In times like these, we are reminded just how close-knit and caring our small town truly is.' The fundraiser has already generated over $31,000 and is close to meeting its $35,000 goal. Laramie Outlaws Hockey announced Sawyer's death on Monday and urged the community to support the family. 'Tonight, we place our sticks outside for Sawyer Costa — a teammate, a friend, a light gone too soon,' the club posted on Facebook.' 'This simple gesture speaks volumes: You'll always be part of the team. Rest easy, Sawyer. You'll never skate alone.' Jim Ninnemann, one of Sawyer's hockey coaches, told Cowboy State Daily that his player was, 'smart, sweet, fearless and spunky — tenacious.' He added that Sawyer wore jersey number six and the team would be retiring it in honor of her. 'The hockey community is something like you've never seen before,' Kim told the publication when discussing the support the family's received. She said she'd remember her daughter as a happy, positive girl with a 'love of life,' that she hopes others will strive for.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
We ditched our small-town life in Wyoming to travel the world on a cruise... and the cost shocked us
A couple decided to pack up their small-town life in Wyoming and go on the adventure of a lifetime - a luxury cruise around the world. Paul and Lynn Montoya were living in Laramie - a city with a population of about 31,0000 - and operating a bed and breakfast in Vedauwoo before they were hit with a sudden wake-up call following the COVID-19 pandemic to experience what the world had to offer. 'We realized we hadn't seen the world, running a business like we did in Wyoming,' Paul told Cowboy State Daily. 'We never had time to do much travel. We actually went to Europe for the first time in our lives last year, and we're in our 60s now, so we'd really like to explore the world.' And that's exactly what they did - leaving behind their home, packing up a rental car of their most prized possessions and hopping aboard the Villa Vie ship Odyssey, the first world cruise where passengers embark on a three-and-a-half year journey around the globe. Cruises are often looked at as expensive, but for the Montoyas, they soon realized their dream wouldn't cost them any more than it did living in Laramie. Now, the couple are enjoying their extended vacation for about $80,000 a year after hopping on the cruise ship in April to take them to 147 countries, 425 ports and 100 tropical islands. The breakdown of their expenses include the cost of their cabin, three meals a day, entertainment, housekeeping, laundry and internet. They hopped aboard the Villa Vie ship Odyssey (pictured), the first world cruise where passengers embark on a three-and-a-half year journey around the globe The cheapest cabin option starts at $129,000 with a $2,999 monthly maintenance fee - around $45,000 annually - for one person to stay there. For two people, the fee is $3,999 or $57,000 a year, and, according to the ship's website, the occupancy range could go up to at least 15 years if desired. Although it is unclear how much the couple were paying for their home, the average cost of a home in Laramie is estimated at $378,258, according to Zillow. 'That's one of the things the Odyssey really does is they're trying to program this for affordable living,' Lynn told the outlet. 'It's similar to maybe like a retirement community, like a 55-plus community.' She went on to compare their new lifestyle to those living in two of the most expensive locations in the US. 'If you're living in California or New York or something that, I don't think you could even live in a rented apartment for that nowadays,' she said. 'For them, this is probably an easy decision. For us, this is the same lifestyle we had in Laramie, but we're getting to see the world.' She and her husband also don't have to stay in their cabins the entire time, as they have options to leave to attend important family events like funerals or weddings. They also have the option to rent out their cabin like Airbnb does with houses. If they wanted to, they could also sell their cabin back to Ville Vie for a lower value or sell it to a new cabin owner. Their cabin is already worth approximately $20,0000 more than what they originally paid for it, the couple said. With that in mind, Paul said he and his wife have plans for the future of their cabin. 'If we die, our family can actually inherit it, too. But we're hoping the value will be there where we can actually sell (the cabin) for the amount we paid, maybe more if it's really popular,' he said. There is even flexibility with how cabins are paid for as the cruise offers a pay-as-you-go plan to those who can't afford it outright. The Montoya's even met a man who owns two cabins - one for him and another to rent out. 'Now what he's doing is renting both of those out and, with the money he's renting it for, he's paying for life on the ship,' Lynn explained. 'He's one of the ones who left in August, so he's been doing that for some time.' Although the cabins are affordable - when compared to the cost of living on land in the US - the couple warned that there is not too much space to work with. 'A typical cabin is about 200 square feet. And you normally have a bed and a desk, maybe a side chair, and a small bathroom,' they said. But, there is still an option to customize the cabins to your liking as the couple plan on having changes made to their space soon. 'We're actually having the construction crew on here tear out all of the cabinetry, and we're going to re-wallpaper it,' Paul stated 'We're also going to replace the bed with our own bed.' They will be able to retrieve their bed once the ship ports in San Diego. Though they've made sure their living space is comfortable for them, the couple said they spend most of their time at the ship's gym, business center or at ports enjoying fun and unique activities. They recently got to swim with wild dolphins in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the Montoya's detailed on their YouTube page. They also created their own website to share updates on their journey, including a checklist of all the places they've been and have yet to experience. As of Sunday, the couple have visited eight destinations in Mexico, one in El Salvador and another in Guatemala. They still have a boatload of destinations to cross off, including trips to Hawaii, Canada, Washington, California, Alaska, Japan and South Korea.
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Down to Business: After nearly 60 years, The Lantern's become a ‘generational place' for Naperville families
Business: The Lantern Address: 8 W. Chicago Ave., Naperville Phone/website: 630-355-7099; Owner: Mike Lococo of Naperville; General Manager: Jessica Laramie, 37, of Yorkville Years in business: 59 What does your business do? 'It's all about the history. It's a generational place. Families come here. We're known as a tavern. We're known as a bar. We're known as a restaurant,' Lococo said. 'Kids look forward to getting their (free) popcorn and suckers,' Laramie said. 'That's been going on for years. Adults now did it when they were kids.' What should people know? 'We have the coldest beer in downtown Naperville,' Lococo said. Did you start the business? 'No. I bought it two and a half years ago. Don Feldott started The Lantern in 1966. Our 60th year will be 2026. There's going to be a celebration all year,' Lococo said. 'One of (Don's) granddaughters, Kalie Feldott, is our other general manager,' Laramie said. Why did you buy The Lantern? 'Opportunity. A venture to take on. … Don passed away in 2021. Some of the family started running the business. They decided to sell. … I had been here before. I was here when I was 21.' What was your previous job? 'Property management.' How's the business doing? 'It's going great. We didn't change any of the recipes. They are 40, 50 years old. We're known for burgers. We make them fresh every day. We bring in the meat from Casey's (Foods). We have great food. … Our cooks, Ruben and Susanna Gallegos, have been here over 25 years,' Lococo said. How many employees do you have? 'Thirty-five. We've had employees here for decades. Our cleaner, we call him Rob Bob, he's here 5, 6 in the morning. No one's ever seen him,' Lococo said. 'His father worked here. Rob Bob is in his 60s. I will come here sometimes at eight in the morning. It's like if walls could talk. He tells me all the stories, the history that went on here 30, 40, 50 years ago.' Why is The Lantern important for Naperville? 'It's iconic. You'll get construction workers to attorneys to the mayor. Have lunch. Have a drink. This place is a staple. You saw the mural on the side (of the building). If you look up 'City of Naperville,' that's the picture that comes up first. I call this 'the beating heart of Naperville'.' Lococo said. 'We're known as the place to have the last drink (of the night). People try to get here an hour before we close to have that last drink,' Lococo said. What are your hours? 'We're open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, till 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday,' Laramie said. What about competition? 'We love to see other bars down here. We encourage people to open bars (downtown),' Lococo said. 'That makes it a destination place for all of us,' Laramie said. Any favorite stories? 'It was Christmas week. Really crowded. An older gentleman came in and said his daughter was getting engaged (in a park) down the street in 20 minutes and he needed room for 30 people. I accommodated him. … A lot of people meet here, get married, come back,' Lococo said. Are you here 12 hours a day? 'I used to be. Hiring good people is the key,' Lococo said. Any future plans? 'We will not go corporate. It's going to be a traditional, independently owned place as long as I'm here,' Lococo said. 'Maybe (start) a (weekend) brunch. We're working on that … We hope to bring back the block party in August of 2026. Everyone works that day. Some of our customers volunteer and help.' Any other special events? 'We have free karaoke every Tuesday night, from 9 p.m. to midnight. … We also do trivia every Wednesday. A sold-out house, usually a week ahead of time. It starts at 7 o'clock. The same deejay who does karaoke does trivia. The prizes are gift cards,' Laramie said. How about live music? 'Usually on Thursday nights. … On New Year's Eve we do two toasts. One at 5 p.m., one at midnight. A lot of the families come down here for the early toast,' Lococo said. This building is over 100 years old. Is it haunted? 'Maybe in the basement,' Lococo said. Any misconceptions? 'People may think it's a college bar. It's not. It's a family place. On a Saturday you get the whole T-ball team in here after a game,' Laramie said. What's your advice for someone starting a business? 'You've got to have good people working for you and don't be undercapitalized. … People think it's easy. It's not. There's a lot of moving parts. … I'm still learning,' Lococo said.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AM Best Revises Outlooks to Negative for Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
OLDWICK, N.J., May 08, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has revised the outlook to negative from stable for the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) and revised the outlook to negative from positive for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) and affirmed the FSR of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term ICR of "bbb" (Good) of Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (Mountain West) (Laramie, WY). The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect Mountain West's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The negative outlooks reflect material erosion of Mountain West's capital position leading to elevated leverage metrics driven by the recent volatility in its underwriting profitability. The significant decline in surplus considerably reduced the company's risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), along with deterioration of overall balance sheet strength metrics. In addition, the outlooks consider the decline in surplus as a reflection of the company's ERM program. Collectively, these factors resulted in a revision of the outlooks to negative. To stabilize Mountain West's operating performance, multiple profitability initiatives have been put in place such as taking rates in line with indications, increased use of data and analytics, as well as exposure management. While underwriting and operating results have shown considerable improvement through the first quarter of 2025 along with surplus growth, it remains uncertain whether these results can be sustained as current and projected premium leverage remain elevated. Accordingly, further weakening of key balance sheet strength metrics will likely result in a rating downgrade. Mountain West's operating performance remains in line with other marginal-assessed rating units. The limited business profile reflects its geographic concentration of risks and the high property lines exposure. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit Copyright © 2025 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on Contacts Brinda Modi Shah Senior Financial Analyst +1 908 882 1767 Richard Attanasio Senior Director +1 908 882 1638 Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Saddle Up, Cowboy: The Ram 2500 HD Has a New Cummins Turbo-Diesel
The moment you climb into a Ram 2500, your sneakers become oil-waxed Lucchese, the airplane snacks squirreled away in your carry-on become T-bone steaks, and you'll suddenly find yourself with an opinion on livestock care. You have to give it to Ram—it's a brand that commits to the bit. Whether that bit is the barbed-wire and gunmetal detailing of the high-end Longhorn or the off-road readiness of a Rebel, there's a sense that every engineer and designer on the Ram team can tow a fifth wheel, winch across a boulder, and rope a Holstein. Well, maybe not all of them can throw a lasso, but they certainly know their stuff when it comes to hauling, so it's no surprise that the 2025 Ram HD trucks make light work out of heavy duty. Externally, 2025 Ram trucks get a light reworking of the front fascia, with new grille designs, a higher mounting spot for the Ram logo, and standard LED headlights, as well as premium LED projectors as an option. Ram continues to offer lockable bed storage with built-in bins in the bedsides and adjustable cleats for cargo tie-down. There are also new wheel designs for different trim levels. Inside, Rams have impressive storage options with sliding consoles, folding rear seats, and plenty of nooks for small items. The 2025 news for the interior is the option of a massive 14.5-inch touchscreen display—2.5 inches larger than before—running the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system. Trim levels remain the same, starting with the Tradesman, and working up through levels of luxury or off-road ability, climbing through Big Horn, Lone Star, Power Wagon, Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, and Limited. The 2025 Ram 2500 and 3500 HD has gas and diesel engine options—the standard 405-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 or a 430-hp 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel inline-6. Both are now backed by eight-speed ZF automatic transmissions. We spent most of our time in the diesel-powered 2500 Rebel, Laramie, and Longhorn, but Ram also offered drives in the 6.4-liter Hemi-powered trucks and with 3500 and chassis cab models to showcase the towing abilities of all the professional-level options. Our starting point for towing demonstrations was at the base of the Davis Dam Grade, a nearly 12-mile-long climb that is used as the SAE standard for setting tow ratings. While engineers haul their loads up and down the grade in the triple-digits temps of summer, our drives were less likely to stress the cooling system—instead, the windshield wipers got a workout, as it was both rainy and windy as we took turns pulling trailers laden with a flashy Dodge Ram 1500 SRT-10, construction equipment, and a party barge twice the length of the truck that hauled it. Ram provides all kinds of equipment for stress-free towing, offering multiple camera angles, adjustable fish-eye lower mirrors, digital rearview mirrors, blind-spot warnings that incorporate trailer length, and (in the diesel) an exhaust brake that works with the tow/haul mode to ease both planned and emergency stops. When it comes to grunt, with 429 lb-ft of torque from the V-8 and a pavement-pretzeling 1075 lb-ft from the Cummins, there's not even a shudder from these trucks, no matter what's hooked onto the back. The most dangerous thing about towing with a Ram HD is the likelihood of forgetting that you've got anything back there and getting yourself stuck in a drive-through. A full-size, heavy-duty pickup isn't the ideal go-to for recreational off-roading, although the Rebel—and even more so the Power Wagon, with its winch and electronic front anti-roll-bar disconnect—tread more lightly and with less side scraping than you might expect when venturing into an unpaved environment. The Hemi-only Power Wagon can tiptoe over ruts so smoothly that you won't even spill your gas-station coffee, and while the Rebel is less elegant, the Cummins will uncomplainingly pull you out of just about any situation. That the new Ram 2500 and 3500s can handle a hill with or without payload and a trailer is hardly news. They are popular work trucks for a reason, and the biggest changes for 2025 are improvements under the hood to the already impressive Cummins turbo-diesel–equipped models. Despite the diesel's unchanged displacement of 6.7 liters, this is a block-up redesign. Combined with the transmission upgrade from six to eight speeds, it gives the Cummins-equipped truck 430 horsepower, 1075 lb-ft, and (when properly equipped) a towing capacity of up to 36,610 pounds. It's quicker too, with Ram saying the new diesel trucks can get to 60 mph in under seven seconds. After putting some miles in, we can affirm that it's almost frighteningly responsive for a truck of its size, and the powerplant is both quieter and smoother than previous Cummins engines. Ram worked with Cummins to redesign the engine starting at the top with a move from an integrated intake to a bolt-on aluminum manifold that offers a longer intake runner and better charge cooling than the previous design. Intake and exhaust valves are bigger by 2 millimeters, and fuel pressure is increased by 3000 psi to 32,000 psi total. While the changes offer a bump of 60 hp and 225 lb-ft over the previous standard diesel, the new 6.7-liter is also more efficient, with a quicker, hotter-burning catalyst and a new turbo with a smaller, faster-spooling turbine wheel. The cam drive and fuel-pump drive are now helical gears instead of spur gears, which makes the engine quieter, so your neighbors will be happy. Fleet managers will be pleased to hear that service items such as fuel and oil filters have been moved to the top side of the engine for easier replacement. They also might appreciate the ease in ordering, because now that the engine is backed by an eight-speed transmission, there's no need for optional gear ratios. All diesels come with a 3.42 rear-axle ratio. The transmission's low first gear makes pulling easy, and when the truck is unloaded, it can start off in second for fewer shifts and smoother starts. Even better is that all 2500 and 3500 pickups now get the high-output diesel, with a 360-hp and 800-lb-ft standard-output version found only in the chassis-cab models. From the driver's seat, Ram makes the huge truck as easy as possible to handle. There are grab handles or step-ups in the right place for easy entry. The console is big enough to hold a gear bag, a purse, or lunch for everyone on the job. Front seats are multiway adjustable, and the back seat is big enough for several lumberjacks or a small cow. The combination of mirrors and cameras means even the smallest drivers can see what's around them—crucial for maneuvering through parking lots when adults can be below the level of the hood and tailgate. On the tech side, Ram offers wireless phone connectivity and a long list of driver aids. There's a new passenger's-side screen and plenty of USB and 120-volt outlets. Our quibbles with this big machine are small. We found the optional larger touchscreen almost too big; this short-armed driver couldn't reach the far side of it without leaning over. We also found the Uconnect 5 to be laggy, especially in moving from navigation to vehicle settings pages, which is disappointing, as we've liked Stellantis infotainment software in the past. Ram's big trucks start at $47,660 for the Hemi-powered Tradesman and should be in dealerships now. 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