Ranchy B: Where Western Charm Meets Chic Elegance

At High West Energy, our commitment is to offer our members a distinctive experience while providing access to valuable resources in the area. We take pride in showcasing businesses within our service territory and promoting the remarkable endeavors of our members. This month, we're excited to feature Ranchy B, a Western Chic Boutique, rooted in Cheyenne, owned by longstanding Eastern Laramie County, Wyoming residents. 

Rylee Anderson and Emily Cameron, share a history that transcends childhood friendship and blossoms into a thriving business venture known as Ranchy B. As the dynamic duo behind this unique boutique, they bring together their backgrounds and experiences to offer a special blend of fashion and accessories for women. 

Both Rylee and Emily are from the Burns and Carpenter, Wyoming communities. Their paths intertwined during their high school years, with Rylee graduating from Burns High School in 2014 and Emily from Cheyenne East High School. Their journey continued at Laramie County Community College (LCCC), where they both served as Miss Frontier for Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) in consecutive years, Rylee in 2017 and Emily in 2018. Rylee pursued Agricultural Communications at the University of Wyoming, while Emily delved into Elementary Education. 

Rylee and Emily's bond can be traced back to their early years, gaining strength during their time on the Dandies Drill Team for CFD. Their friendship blossomed, even though their connection wasn't particularly strong before that time. Collaborating on college jobs and assuming the roles of Miss Frontier and Lady-in-Waiting in 2017, the concept of Ranchy B took root. The idea of a boutique took shape during their reigns, fueled by conversations about what set them apart from other rodeo queens. After Emily finished her reign as Miss Frontier in 2018, the dream materialized in January 2020.

Beyond Ranchy B, Rylee is a Loan Originator for Wallick and Volk, Inc., and the Marketing Coordinator for the CFD Old West Museum. On the other hand, Emily is a dedicated mother to Rosie and Cannon, as well as a 2nd grade teacher at Burns Elementary School. 

Ranchy B offers a curated selection of clothing items and fashion accessories for women. Regular pop-up events, characterized by champagne and infectious smiles, provide customers with a unique shopping experience. 

For Rylee and Emily, the true highlight of their business is the joy of working together as best friends. Their shared love for fashion and styling, coupled with their distinct tastes, creates a dynamic and exciting environment for customers. Meeting customers and helping them explore their unique style is a cherished aspect of their business. Taking Ranchy B beyond their headquarters, nestled in Rylee's mom's basement, allows them to connect with new people and showcase their offerings to a wider audience. 

To connect with Ranchy B, members can reach out through their social media pages. Find them on Facebook (@RanchyBbyRy&Em) and Instagram (@ranchyb) for event updates, new arrivals, and contact information. 

New EPA Power Plant Rules Threaten Grid Reliability

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released four major new regulations for the electric industry, including a much-anticipated rule to cut emissions from power plants, a sweeping move that will aggravate reliability concerns for electric cooperatives and other utilities nationwide. 

"The path outlined by the EPA is unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable," said Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. "It undermines electric reliability and poses grave consequences for an already stressed electric grid." 

The power plant rule constrains existing coal and new natural gas plants by requiring them to install carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology that is not yet reliable or commercially available. 

"The new EPA rules ignore our nation's ongoing electric reliability challenges and are the wrong approach at a critical time for our nation's energy future," Matheson said. 

The power plant rule will force the early closure of electricity generation sources that are available 24/7 and will also impede the construction of new natural gas plants. The timing of these sweeping new rules is particularly troubling as electric utilities face a surge in demand for electricity from factors like transportation electrification and the rapid expansion of data centers to support artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and cryptocurrency.

Under the new rule, existing coal-fired power plants that plan to operate past the start of 2039 must install CCS to capture 90% of emissions by 2032. These standards, and their reliance on unproven CCS technology, will undermine electric reliability. 

It is a critical time in our industry with the increase in demand for power supply and possible constraints to existing coal and new natural gas plants, especially when around 50% of our energy resource mix at High West Energy is coal and gas. 

Electric cooperatives understand the need to keep the lights on at a cost local families and businesses can afford. Clean energy technologies must be balanced with generation sources that are always available to ensure a reliable electric grid. 

Electric cooperatives like High West Energy deliver power to 42 million Americans. We will continue to keep you updated on this issue as our top priority is to meet our members' energy needs, but we must have reliable electricity to do that. 

Back to School Energy Savings 

• Adjust your thermostat when fewer people are at home. 
• Keep busy after school to reduce energy consumption
• Ride a bike or walk to school. 
• Use a reusable water bottle. 
• Turn the engine off while waiting for kids after school. 

Check out the full version of Sparks below!