Week of March 19, 2026
Week of March 19, 2026
On February 11, 2026, former Cody resident, Harold Colten Chlarson, 32 years of age, was sentenced in the District Court of Hot Springs County. Chlarson had been charged with five alleged criminal offenses, arising out of a single-vehicle accident, which occurred on May 16, 2025, between Thermopolis and Meeteetse on Highway 120 West. Included in the charges were felony counts of aggravated motor vehicle homicide, and possession of a controlled substance. Killed in the accident was Avery Heston, a 23 year old man from Texas, who had recently...
On Saturday, March 14 community members gathered at the Hot Springs County Fair Building to honor their own at the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Banquet. This year's theme was - Our roots run deep. The Legacy Business award recognizes a long-standing business (25+years) who has offered continued support to the community. This years award winner is Ryan Brother Trucking. The business was started in September 1958 by Tom Ryan and his brother Jeames Ryan. Building their first truck,...
The Hot Springs County High School Speech and Debate Team closed its successful 2025–2026 season with a third-place finish in the 1A/2A classification at the Wyoming State Speech and Debate Tournament, held March 12–14 at Cheyenne Central High School. The large statewide tournament featured 30 schools and more than 420 individual entries. The strong finish capped nearly six months of competition for the Bobcats, who began their season in October and continued to build momentum throughout...
A benefit cookie jar and basket auction will be held on Friday, March 20 for auctioneer John Gerrells who is incurring expenses due medical issues. The auction will be held at the Hot Springs County Fair Building, 627 Springview St. Dinner served at 5:30 p.m. by We Got Your Six and the auction will follow. Donations of auction items and sides/salads/desserts can be dropped off at the fair building the afternoon of March 20. As the community prepares for the benefit, many are reminded of just how much Gerrells has done for its members over the...
With their regular meeting canceled for Tuesday, March 17, the Hot Springs County Commissioners held a special meeting on Monday, March 16 to take up the issue of funding for the proposed airport hangar project. The project proposes to construct a new 9,000 square foot aircraft hangar at the Hot Springs County Airport in order to accommodate requests for overnight heated hanger space for aircraft utilizing the airport facilities. Currently, the county has no county owned hanger space at the new airport, so frequent requests to overnight...
by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile.com The Iran war has spiked oil prices around the world, risen prices at the pump and driven speculation about inflation as the Trump administration pleads with other nations to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a choke point for nearly 20% of the world’s crude oil supply. What all that means for Wyoming depends on your perspective, according to University of Wyoming Associate Professor of Economics Rob Godby. While higher oil revenues may offer a boon to local producers and state government coffers, he...
by Allison Allsop, Casper Star-Tribune via Wyoming News Exchange Less than a third of Wyoming’s mental health needs are being met, according to data compiled in a recent report. Inseparable, a mental health advocacy organization, published a study looking at mental health needs, provider pay and state policies. While Wyoming pulled ahead of many states, it still only meets a fraction of the needs of its residents. The data for needs met comes from a Kaiser Family Foundation report on health professional shortage areas, which is up to date...
FFA pizza night Thermopolis FFA members and P6 Station are teaming up for a fundraiser for the group. The students are raising money for travel expenses and leadership opportunities. On Thursday, March 19 from 4-8 p.m., tips from orders at P6 Station will go to the members. They will also be holding a silent auction for their work sale. Winning bidders will receive four hours of service from a student or team. Seed starting workshop Learn about seed starting and spring gardening on Thursday, March 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Hot Springs County...
Work has started on a $7.2 million highway improvement project northwest of Thermopolis on Wyoming Highway 120. On Monday, March 16, prime contractor Croell, Inc., of Cheyenne installed a single-lane closure of the Wyoming 120 bridge over Owl Creek. One-way traffic will be controlled by a traffic signal on each end of the bridge, which is located 5.6 miles north of Thermopolis. Bridge repairs include replacing bridge joints and other work. “Bridge work is scheduled through April, and motorists should expect delays,” said Wyoming...
by Maggie Mullen, Maya Shimizu Harris, Katie Klingsporn, Dustin Bleizeffer, Mike Koshmrl and Angus M. Thuermer, Jr., WyoFile.com, via WNE When Gov. Mark Gordon stood to deliver his annual State of the State address on Feb. 9, it appeared budget cuts would dominate the conversation as the Wyoming Legislature began its annual gathering. In some ways, they did. Lawmakers in the House and Senate passed two budgets with key differences, including, most notably, on cuts to the state’s lone four-year public university. But that debate quickly took...
Following up their success in the state championships in Casper last month, the Hot Springs County High School boys and girls wrestling teams have spent the past two weekends competing at the Junior State Tournament here in Wyoming, and then traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for the USA Folkstyle Nationals. Two boys and three girls wrestled in both freestyle and greco at the Junior State Tournament two weekends ago. Lilly Quintanilla and Cannon Boren each captured Triple Crowns, by winning state...
Thermopolis Wrestling Club members split way last week, with some members traveling south to the Lander Legacy Classic while the majority of the team participated in the Buffalo Bill Showdown in Cody. Both tournaments offered Folkstyle and Freestyle competition. With limited numbers competing in Lander, Thermopolis won three individual championship, had two runners up and a third place. In Cody, Thermopolis ended the day in 4th place with 1,124 points, coming in behind Cody (1,458 points), Greybull (1,375.5 points), and Powell (1,237.5...
Another fantastic season has come to a close for the Bobcat and Lady Cat basketball teams. Both teams were crowned regional champions in Riverton last month, and then both teams ground their way into the championship games at state in Casper. The Bobcats finished their highly successful season with an overall record of 24-4, and went undefeated in the 2A Northwest quad. And, oh yeah, there was also that back-to-back state championship hardware the Cats brought home from Casper. To say it was a spectacular season hardly does the team justice....
Once again, the calendar has rolled around to the season of high school spring sports in Wyoming. Practices kicked off last week for the Bobcat track team who look to capitalize on the highly successful season which the team had last year - culminating in a regional championship and a second place finish at state. With over forty students on the team roster this year, the team will hit the pitch joined by returning state triple-jump champion Logann Farrell and last year’s 800 meter champion, Cole Keller, both of whom will be looking to...
Participants in the Bison Feeding Experience program get an up-close look at the iconic bison at Hot Springs State Park on Friday, March 13. Above, Brian Strampe helps Kipson Brost try on a heavy bison hide. Bottom right, Ittai Kissner holds up a bison skull while a family member takes a...
The American and Wyoming state flags fly in strong winds ahead of a snowstorm that moved into the area last Saturday evening. Hot Springs County experienced high winds, but not as high as experienced in other areas of the state. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were seen in HSC with other areas of Wyoming experiencing 90+ mph, include a reported 109 mph in...
Strong winds blew in a March storm that blanketed Hot Springs County with a reported 3-5" of snow over the weekend. Warm temperatures returned this week to melt the snow and it was quickly soaked up by the dry...
Phil Gregory and Megan Berry look over plants during the Red Dirt Master Gardeners' plant swap and community garden sign up held at the library last...
by District 20 Senator Ed Cooper Now that the session has wrapped up, it is a good time to take a look around and offer some thoughts on what we were able to accomplish on behalf of the people of Wyoming. This budget session, I was particularly proud of the renewed focus on issues that matter in Wyoming and in our small towns and counties across this state – particularly the counties I serve. We were able to keep our work local and steer clear of national issues that bring social media clicks but doesn’t benefit Wyomingites. This year, we...
by Lauren Harper, Daniel Ellsberg chair on government secrecy Excessive government secrecy takes many forms, including denying or ignoring FOIA requests and deleting data from websites. These tactics prevent the public from meaningfully participating in self-government in every area secrecy touches, from domestic policy discussions on climate change, to foreign policy debates around international aid. Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of the public’s right to know, reminds us that the federal Freedom of Information Act, which allows the...
by Terri Geissinger Hans Jensen was born in Denmark, April 1856, into a large family of eleven children. As a young strapping teenager, he went to work as a sailor and fisherman to help his family make ends meet. Those years on the frigid, unforgiving North Sea toughened his nerves and hardened his attitude toward the commercial fishing business of which he vowed never to return. In his early-twenties, Hans joined the mass exodus of a poverty-stricken country and boarded a steerage ship to the United States. After a brutal journey across the...
Kevin Koerwitz, age 50, passed away on March 11, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Born on January 27, 1976, in Omaha, Neb., Kevin grew up in Thermopolis, Wyo., where he made the most of small‑town life. He had a classic 80's childhood, spending his days playing sports in the street, fishing, floating the river, swimming in the hot pools, and camping with his family at Sinks Canyon. In high school he performed in drama and excelled as a debater on the speech team. Kevin graduated from...
On the Record policy It is the Thermopolis Independent Record’s policy that all people arrested or cited under the “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. Names of minors are not printed. Sheriff’s office Monday, March 9 1:39 p.m. Report of a traffic accident. 3:23 p.m. A deputy investigated the report of theft. Tuesday, March 10 11:54 p.m. A deputy performed a traffic stop on a...
