Week of April 23, 2026
Week of April 23, 2026
Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails has officially released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional appraisal services to evaluate concession facilities at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming. These appraisals are mandated by 2026 Senate Enrolled Act 27, Section 335, which requires appraisals of the “capital investment” and “ongoing concern” for the businesses known as the Star Plunge and the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa. Qualified professional appraisers are encouraged to review the full requirements....
On Wednesday, April 15 senior golfer, Madison Shaffer, signed her commitment to play golf for the Panthers at York University in Nebraska. Madison is a four-year stand-out for the golf program at Hot Springs County High School, and was part of last fall's State Championship team. Madison will matriculate to York this fall to study business and finance, and plans to be a personal financial planner upon...
Way back in 1968, while at his farm in Scotland, Paul McCartney sat down and penned a ballad, which would come to be titled “The Long and Winding Road.” Reportedly, the lyrics sprang from McCartney’s angst over the bitterness and disputes which were then, and had been, befalling the members of The Beatles band, their management, and their producers. McCartney wrote that the long and winding road “will never disappear.” Like the song, it has at times felt like the long and winding road of the dispute over the Tipi Retreat would never...
High school students excel At the State FFA Covention, the high school Thermopolis FFA Chapter was named a gold chapter, making it one of the top six chapters in the state. Several teams and individual members earned a number of state awards. Kaycee Stothart was named Regional Star in Agriscience. Stothart, Cody Bomengen, Bridger Peil, Madi Shaffer, Jayssie Owsley, Taylor Ivie, Maile McCumber and Korbin Brill earned their State FFA Degrees State proficiency awards were given out in three...
Wrangler Team Roping action hit Hot Springs County Fairgrounds last week. Several locals placed in the money at the event. Results include, in order of finish: #12.5 Slide: 29.06 on 4, Case Heupel and Jax Heupel $2,000.00; 29.87 on 4 Jayce Sorenson and JT Collingwood $1,140.00; 29.88 on 4 Kyle Neuenschwander and Clark Hufty $760.00 #11.5 34.65 on 4 Case Heupel and Jax Heupel $2,180.00; 36.62 on 4 Jayce Sorenson and Josh Avila $1,636.00; 37.21 on 4 Kyle Neuenschwander and Stan Williams...
Growing up in Thermopolis, Brody Sorensen spent his days on the Bighorn River, one of Wyoming's most fished and floated waterways. Those experiences shaped his understanding of environmental protection. "The Bighorn River gave us a strong outdoor community and a lot of opportunities to just be with the environment," Sorensen says. "It showed me what there was to lose if we aren't careful. It made me realize that there have to be people doing work to fix our environment." Now a freshman studying...
The Hot Springs County Pioneer Association is accepting donations to refurbish a small, replica sheep wagon that was gifted to them by the Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce. The project aims to restore the wagon, unique to our community, for the benefit of the Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center. Restoration includes replacing the worn-out wood on the underlayment, sanding and painting the metal trailer box, installing a new durable canvas cover, adding logos, replacing trim molding and...
The People for People Food Program and the People for People Backpack Program are hosting an appreciation dinner and fun event for volunteers, sponsors, donors and members of our community. A fun themed Hillbilly Soiree is set for Saturday, May 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, 83 US Hwy 20 N. The evening will feature dinner, games, music, live and silent auctions, a best dressed hillbilly contest and more. The event is designed to honor the silent heroes within our community that have helped the People for People programs...
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services hosted a Job & Resource Fair on Thursday, April 16 at the Armory in Thermopolis. The event was the third such event in recent weeks - following on the heels of stops in Greybull and Worland. Thirty Wyoming employers were represented at the event, setting up tables and displays, meant to attract job seekers, and those who were, perhaps, just seeking information to consider for a possible future job change. On a cold day, when snowfall had been in the forecast, more than forty people showed up to...
by Ray Shaffer My Pappy always said, “Don’t take any wooden nickels!” While that may be sage advice in most circumstances, the Hot Springs County Pioneer Association is endeavoring to turn that admonition on its ear by flooding the County with a wooden nickel campaign. In conjunction with the Semiquincentennial Celebration (America 250) and in support of the HSC Museum, we are asking local businesses and patrons to participate in a fun and different type of project by buying wooden nickels, in 100 nickel lots, as a way to help fund our...
by Noah Zahn Wyoming Tribune Eagle Via Wyoming News Exchange Gov. Mark Gordon announced Thursday he will not seek a third term as the state’s top elected official, ending months of speculation over whether he would attempt to challenge the state’s gubernatorial term limits. He told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that the decision was not a difficult one, and that he was never really in doubt about his future. “I didn’t really have any grand ideas about serving longer than that. I always feel that these are jobs you do because it’s about...
Spaghetti dinner fundraiser Risen Son Christian School is hosting Pasta With a Purpose, a spaghetti dinner and auction fundraiser, on Friday, April 24 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Hot Springs County Fair Building. To help with the event, make a donation or for more information, contact Shailee Harvey at 921-8069 or Brian Johnson at 921-4434. Book fair A community book fair will be held at Hot Springs County Fair Building on April 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. and on April 25 and May 2 from 9 a.m.-noon at Risen Son Christian School. Proceeds will...
The Hot Springs County High School track teams traveled to Douglas on Thursday last week, but were weathered out in Shoshoni the following day. Although the weather cut short their planned competition, the teams certainly made the best of the situation. In Douglas, the Bobcats finished in second place in the team standings with a team score of 138.5. The team from Riverton came in first with a team score of 152.5. For the girls, the home team came in first with 143 points. The Lady Cats finished seventh out of ten teams with a team score of...
Last weekend, the middle school track team competed at the Shoshoni Jr. High Invite along with 14 other schools. The Shoshoni Invite is unique as some schools bring 5th grade athletes, putting the 5th and 6th grades in the youth division and the 7th and 8th graders in the middle school division. In the team rankings, the middle school girls placed 4th with 59.5 points, the youth girls placed 6th with 43.50 points, the middle school boys place 2nd with 97 points and the youth boys placed first with 95 points. With the season nearing the...
Mother Nature’s plans for the weather can always be a bit challenging for the spring golf season and the Hot Springs County High School Bobcat golf teams were reminded of that last week. The team had planned to compete in a dual in Lander on Thursday, and then head over the hill to play in Buffalo on Friday. With a chance of snow in the forecast, the Buffalo event was cancelled, however, leaving the teams with a weekend off, to hit their home course for some unscheduled practice rounds. In Lander on Thursday, Ruth Needham continued to find...
Participants in the spring piano recital held last Sunday are, back row, l to r, Annie Sharp, Shayli Shumway, Lilly Estenson, Amelia Johnson, Kelly Strampe, Aurora Gevas, Atley Benefiel, Ole Estenson, Laina Benefiel and teacher Melene Mierzejewski; front row, Ivory Galovich, Jenny Deremodi, Scarlett Deremodi, Wyatt Johnson, Aiden Estenson, Ilena Galovich, Daxton Van Heule, Josephine O'Connor, Aviana Miller and Elise...
Below freezing temperatures at night cause an icy scene on an irrigation pivot south of...
A red-tailed hawk soars against a clear blue sky above Thermopolis, gliding effortlessly on rising air...
We find ourselves, once again, at the beginning of our next mid-term election. We have become accustomed over the past year to extraordinary new lows of selfishness, lack of character and cowardly behavior in our politicians. Our administration exalts hate, cruelty and depravity as the new norms. Our politicians have become experts in creating fear and distrust in our hearts and everyday lives. Going through life with fear as our mainstay makes us smaller and contracted leading to insecurities that can hold us back from making thoughtful...
As part of our Trailblazer series, Shelley Deromedi submitted the following story her daughter, Jenny Deromedi, a ninth grader at the time, wrote a school paper on the Deromedi family. A copy of the paper ran in a 1990 Independent Record as part of the late Dorothy Milek’s Museum Musings column. Jenny’s paper won first place in the high school division of a writing contest. Jenny was a 1993 graduate of Hot Springs County High School and class valedictorian. She passed away in a tragic accident in 1998. Hot Springs County: A Family History...
We hope our readers are enjoying the HSC Trailblazers series appearing on this page for the last few months. Each one gives a glimpse into the personality of a person or a family and includes a large amount of historical information. Submissions are being accepted. You don’t have to be a seasoned writer, just tell a story, your story, your family story - there is no experience necessary except life experience. You can submit your story to news@thermopir.com We look forward to reading it - our readers do...
by John Bernhisel Look closely below for clues to two silver bars hidden somewhere in the Big Horn Basin. Not everything is a clue, but the ones that are will lead you to the treasure. If you find it, please text a picture to the number on the box. Questions: Which of the traditional names of the chess pieces is last alphabetically? What are the little donuts sold by Hostess called? Who stood immediately behind Lyndon Johnson when he signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act? What year was The Jungle Book first published, and who wrote it? How many...
Marjorie Lou Slack, 89, passed away on April 17, 2026, at the Thermopolis Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Thermopolis, Wyo., after a short illness. Marjorie was born in Thermopolis, Wyo., on August 23, 1936, as the second child of five children born to Jess and Ruth Lawrence (Lucas). She was raised in Thermopolis until her marriage to Conrad Mayfiled in 1952. Marge and Con had four children and moved frequently. They divorced in 1966. While living in California, Marge met and married...
Lewis Neil Freudenthal passed away on September 15, 2025, in Metairie, La. Neil was born in Thermopolis, Wyo., on October 30, 1936, where he grew up on the nearby family ranch. As a young man he worked horse-drawn equipment on the family ranch, particularly haying. As a precocious youth, he was rapidly promoted at the one-room, all-grade schools, and then graduated from Hot Springs County High School at an early age. He survived a broken leg from a horse fall on the "Valentine Homestead" near...
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, April 13 7:13 a.m. Report of a fire alarm at a commercial building. 8:02 a.m. Agency assist for probation and parole with the arrest of Christa Mason, 52. Tuesday, April...
