Week of July 3, 2025
Week of July 3, 2025
The Thermopolis Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting a fireworks display on the Fourth of July beginning at dusk, around 10 p.m. The fireworks will be launched from atop T-Hill. The department accepts donations toward the fireworks show that are used for the current year or rolled over to the display for the following year. Also, the Thermopolis Town Council allowed limited use of fireworks by residents within the town limits on Friday, July 4. The council restricted the use of fireworks to the hours of 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fireworks are...
by Annie Hayslip After 17 years in Billings, Mont., Richard Romersa and his East Rosebud Fly & Tackle have expanded to Thermopolis. Romersa, a world-traveled fly fisherman, decided to liquidate his stock at his flagship store after a divorce and realized he needed a fresh start. Meanwhile, he didn't want to lose his Billings location, so he decided that Thermopolis was the perfect place for a second top-notch, complete fly fishing store. "I'm going to give them a world-class fly shop in...
In the most recent district dourt action, evolving from the Tipi Retreat zoning change request, the parties have filed their legal briefs, and the matter is now before Judge Simpson for determination. While the initial litigation saw Hot Springs County being dragged into court by one landowner, the most recent iteration of the case finds the county being brought back to court by neighboring land owners, thereby extending the meandering and sordid saga of the well-known local glamping enterprise. Martin G. Oravec and Gary A. Frazier...
The Thermopolis/Hot Springs County High School Alumni Association invites all classmates to register for reunion weekend, July 18-20. This year’s gathering is for classmates of years ending in 0 or 5, however all classes are welcomed. On Saturday, July 19, classmates can gather at the VFW for socializing and drinks. The $10 registration fee pays for the DJ, who will be playing music from 8 p.m. to midnight. For the picnic on Sunday, July 20 at the Kiwanis Shelter in the Hot Springs State Park, they will have a variety of food trucks...
One of the lightning strike started fires, along Coyote Run, burnt up to and along the bottom edge of a barn on Tuesday, July 1. The resident and local citizens took action prior to the arrival of the fire department and helped keep the fire from burning the...
Work is ongoing on the Broadway Street bridge, the bridge that connects Thermopolis with East Thermopolis. Work started this week on repairs to the timber bridge in Hot Springs State Park, with repairs scheduled to be complete by July 7. Demolition on the Broadway Street bridge is scheduled to begin at noon, July 7, with the bridge closing at that time. The 2nd Street detour will be used at that time. When finished, a new bridge deck will move people back and forth...
The Hot Springs County Land Use Planning Commission met last Wednesday night to discuss two public hearing issues and one parcel division plan submitted for feedback. The board members were asked to approve the Burrows land use zoning change from commercial to agricultural. With the condition of weed management, the board approved this request. Shawn and Julie Williams submitted a request for the approval of a preliminary plat for subdivision and rezoning agricultural to residential on 42.87 acres. The request was met with much discussion and...
Wyoming Discovery Days Festival is thrilled to announce the “Big Music in a Small Town” concert, featuring country music legends Lorrie Morgan and Chancey Williams. This special event will take place on Saturday, July 12, at the Thermopolis Golf Course. Gates open at 6 p.m., with the concert commencing at 7 p.m., followed by the first ever in the state of Wyoming, a spectacular 300 drone light show to cap off the evening. This concert serves as a fundraiser for the Wyoming Discovery Days Festival, which will be held the same weekend, July...
The elderly population (age 65 and over) in the state grew 3.2 percent between July 2023 and July 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. In comparison, Wyoming’s total population only grew 0.4 percent during the year. The median age (half of the population is younger, and the other half older) rose 0.3 to 39.9 years, while it increased from 39.0 to 39.1 in the U.S. from 2023 to 2024 The new data indicate that the aging of Wyoming’s population continued to be speedy, and the pace was the most rapid in the country. “The primary...
by Susan Monaghan, Gillette News Record via Wyoming News Exchange This week, state lawmakers heard a proposal to redistribute 8% of state sales tax to local governments, distributing it, in part, by need. This process would replace the sum from the state’s general fund that is distributed to local governments every two years. The proposal — presented by Jerimiah Rieman and Ashley Harpstreith, executive directors of advocacy groups for the Wyoming County Commissioners Association and the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, respectively...
by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile.com via WNE Attorneys for Secretary of State Chuck Gray asked a federal court Friday to dismiss a lawsuit against Wyoming’s new voter registration law, arguing in two filings that the complaint does not sufficiently demonstrate how the new requirements could harm potential voters. Once the law goes into effect Tuesday, proof of state residency and U.S. citizenship will be required to register to vote in Wyoming. The law also requires someone registering to vote to attest that they’ve lived in the state for at...
A community blood drive will be held at the Senior Citizens Center on July 7 from 2-6 p.m. and July 8 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Because of a lack of support, Vitalant is considering eliminating one of the days. Please come and give blood so the two-day drives can continue. Walk-ins are always welcome, and appointments are encouraged. To make an appointment, go to vitalant.org or contact the Community Blood Coordinator, Melene Mierzejewski, at 307-240-1414. There is always a need for blood, and only volunteer donors can fill that need for patients in...
Fraud prevention workshop A fraud prevention workshop will be held on July 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Hot Springs County Library. To register, call 864-5561. This free workshop is sponsored by Central Bank & Trust. Paddle in the Park Hot Springs State Park is hosting Paddle in the Park Saturday, July 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, July 13 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Park rangers Katie and Olivia will be offering free kayaking and paddle boarding on the cooling ponds near the Big Spring. Cowpuncher Classic Wester Precision Rifle is hosting the...
Jayci Basse, Seth Needham and Sydney Shaffer were named to the University of Wyoming Spring Semester President’s Honor Roll. Savana Budd, Aidan Freeman, Emme Norsworthy and Lexi Overfield were named to the University of Wyoming Spring Semester Dean’s Honor Roll. Justin Phipps was named to the University of Wyoming Spring Semester Provost’s Honor Roll. Kaitlin Barral has been named a recipient of the 2025 scholarship from the Energy Workforce & Technology Council, the national trade organization for the energy services sector. She is a...
Hot Springs State Park has a frisbee/disc golf course just north of the Chamber of Commerce building that is open year-round for play. For those interested in playing for free, stop by the Chamber to pick up discs. The frisbee golf course is 9 holes. Every hole on the course is a par three. If you land the disc in the basket on the first try, you get an ace. If you land the disc in two tries, you get a birdie. For more information, contact Frank Luna at 921-0538. Players at the frisbee golf...
The University of Wyoming Science Roadshow presented a workshop, Bee the Scientist, last week at the Community Hall. Forty participants between the ages of 3 and 90 learned about bees, discussed how to help them, built bee houses, created seed bombs, and...
A private retirement retirement party was held for Carolyn Conner, left, who has been at NW BOCES for 41 years with many of those as administrative director, Judy Cramer, center, who served 35 years as a sub teacher, and Shawna Bradshaw, who served 21 years as a...
RyeLynn Aleman, age 4, displays a pie as John Holmes leads the auction at the Hot Springs County Fair Building last Saturday. The Cookie Jar Auction was organized to support Emma Littlefield in her fight against stage IV renal cancer. The community came together to raise approximately...
“Fresh, locally grown seasonal agriculture products along with local artisan goods,” is what the Thermopolis Farmers Market promises on their website, and they deliver. Operating Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon in downtown Thermopolis next to Bicentennial Park, the market brings the community together with its share of fresh fruits and vegetables, locally made body care, meats, cheeses and a delightful assortment of baked goods. Our vendor of the week is Shelley Deromedi. Her booth features homemade jams, jellies, syrup and even salsa. She...
With chalk in hand and imagination in full swing, Zoie Kittle brings her artwork to life at the Sidewalk Chalk Competition last Saturday at Hot Springs State...
Kids dive into bubbly excitement at the Hot Springs Country Library Foam Party, hosted by Ann Lincoln's Foam on the Range, on the back lawn of the library last...
A butterfly becomes camouflaged when it lands on a sunflower of the same color. We invite community members to submit photos to the IR that will be considered for publication. Email photos to...
As the people of the United States pause in their busy schedules to celebrate the Fourth of July and the freedoms we enjoy in this country, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the foundations of those freedoms. Those courageous individuals who put their lives at extreme risk by signing the Declaration of Independence stated explicitly in the document who is responsible for granting the rights of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by...
My weapons are old, my boots full of holes, This isn’t my world anymore. I never thought these old eyes would see, No loyalty to God or our country! This isn’t my world anymore. The burning of our flag here in the states, You don’t like it here!!! Turn at the gates. This isn’t my world anymore. Please see our lonely lives unfold, we see it unfolding everyday. I find it hard to give anymore, hell they’ve taken it all away. This isn’t my world anymore. So no matter what anyone thinks, or if they even care. I’m still a soldier like...
We live in a quirky, weird, sideways, upside-down world where some things just don‘t make sense – or they make too much sense to be sensible. As humans we often perpetuate the nonsense. We accept things for what they are and go about our business without question. But sometimes I wonder. About small things. Big things. Random things like: Why do cats have to race you up the stairs? They can come out of nowhere just to get one step ahead of you. Sometimes my cats pause to let me nearly catch up before bounding upwards to beat me. Again....
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Karl Wurtz. He passed away at Wyoming Medical Center on June 17, 2025. Karl was a cherished member of our community, and his family and friends. He touched the lives of so many with his warmth and unwavering spirit. Karl was born on January 5, 1959, to Donal L. Wurtz and Jessie Gene Hunt in Thermopolis. He grew up with a passion for cars and also spent over 35 years working in the oil field industry. He was awarded the certifications in safety as well as many others. Karl was known for... Full story
Verner (Doc) Fred Dockter, 90, of Thermopolis, Wyo., passed away peacefully on June 21, 2025. He was a 30 year resident of Thermopolis. Doc was born in New Rockford, N.D., on April 4, 1935 to Friedrich (Fred) C. Dockter and Regina Buchfink. Doc served his country honorably in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Arizona and served as a helicopter mechanic. Doc married Wyona (Marie) Garretson on March 6, 1961, in Sheridan, Wyo., after getting a job at the Mountain... Full story
On the Record policy It is the Thermopolis Independent Record’s policy that all people arrested or cited under the “Accidents,” “Sheriff’s office” or “Police department” in the On the Record section are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We print the names of all people upon their initial arrest. Clarification There were a total of four applicants for the single Land Use Planning Commission position reported on in County Commissioner’s story in last week’s issue. Only one applicant was mentioned and...
