Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 424
The Hot Springs County Commissioners met on Tuesday, June 30 to tackle a rather full agenda. At the request of the fire warden, the commissioners declared Hot Springs County to be under Stage 1 fire restrictions as of June 30. The Stage 1 designation comes as a result of the current drought/dry conditions in the county and prohibits any open fires, but allows for grilling and barrel fires, with some restrictions. For a full explanation of the fire restrictions, see the Independent Record Facebook page. A scheduled public hearing on any...
The Travel & Tourism Board held their monthly meeting on June 23 and welcomed their newest member, Julie Music, who was appointed to fill the at-large position on the board previously been held by Mike Sinclair. The board approved Ashley Evans to take over as vice president. In her financial report, treasurer Audra Dominguez announced that the board had completed the 2025-26 fiscal year with an increase in fiscal revenue of more than $31,000 over the preceding period, representing an increase in revenues of 8.07%. In old business, dir...
The Legion Baseball team went three for four in the past two weeks. The team played a double-header at Lovell on Monday, June 22 and then another double-header at home on Tuesday, June 30 against Greybull. In game one against Lovell, the Bobcats put scores on the board in the first, second and third innings, but gave up a run in the top of the second on two uncharacteristic errors in the field. Lovell tied the game at three in the top of the 5th inning, on a single by Tyson Yates. The Cats regained the lead in the bottom of the 6th inning, on...
At a brief special meeting held on June 25, the Thermopolis Town Council quickly dealt with some financial issues and entering into a discussion regarding problems with through traffic on 14th Street. The council had a discussion of on-going through traffic issues on 14th Street. Specifically, the usage of the street as a through street despite being clearly posted as a non-through street. Transiting 14th Street between West Broadway and Highway 20 South does allow one to avoid whatever congestion actually arises at the one stop light in...
The Hot Springs County Commissioners held a short special meeting on June 23 taking up matters pertaining to two county projects. To open the meeting, the commissioners held a discussion of the status of funding planning for the new hangar project at the airport. The county has expended a good deal of time gathering possible loan terms from area banks, all at the behest of the USDA. In a recent meeting with USDA representatives, however, the county was informed that funding through the USDA may not be an actual possibility. The county has $1.5...
At their June 16 meeting, the Thermopolis Town Council took up the third and final reading of a proposed budget for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year. Council member Rachel Hughes again took issue with the proposed bonus provision for the Thermopolis Police Department. Hughes stated that she felt the monthly reports of activities filed by the department doesn’t show a need for four patrol officers in addition to the chief and sergeant. Mayor Adam Estenson stated that he supports the inclusion of the hiring bonus, as it is designed to assist t...
The Thermopolis - Hot Springs Chamber Board meet on June 18 and welcomed their new director, Cindy Sampson. At that time, Sampson stated that she was in day four of her new position and felt that she was making a good effort to roll with the punches of this new, challenging position. The board again took up the subject of a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. With the resignation of long-time director, Meri Ann Dorman, the board finds itself in somewhat of a time crunch to formulate a...
The Hot Springs County School Board met for their regular monthly meeting on June 18. In monthly celebrations, the trustees took time to acknowledge the outstanding work of Laura Stam, who was recently named as Hot Springs County School District Teacher of the Year. Ralph Winters Elementary Principal, Nichole Ciz, described Stam as “an advocate for children, a teacher who is supportive of staff, and a believer in the science of learning.” The trustees reviewed the proposed 2026-27 budget for the Recreation District. District director Brian Par...
The Legion Baseball team was busy this past week - playing three double headers, with four on the road, before returning to play two against Powell at Whitt Field on Saturday, June 20. On Monday the 15th, the team carried their 8 - 6 record into a two-game series with the Chiefs (7-19). The Cats took the win in game one by a score of 13 - 8, tallying 12 hits and 12 walks on offense. Kacey Mackay drove in 8 runs on three hits to lead the hitting for Thermopolis, including a single, a double, and a grand-slam. Tate Roberts got the win on the...
“Invasive Annual Grasses” - there’s a term no one wants to hear. Whether your brain is not wired in a manner to comprehend the hard sciences - like chemistry or biology; or whether you have never worked in some form of agricultural endeavor; or whether, perhaps, you actually do make your living working in the agriculture industry - the subject of invasive annual grasses will never bring a warm feeling to your heart. Today, in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming, Hot Springs County maintains a “Declared Weed List.” Identified on the list are eight...
The Legion Baseball team extended their winning record to 8-6 with a win against Otto on Monday, June 9, and two wins against the Powell Pioneers on Friday, June 12. Coming into the week’s contests, the Bobcats were hitting .451 with runners in scoring position. In Otto on Monday night, the Cats put up an impressive 24 runs - to just 5 for their opponents - and reached double digits in hits, with 19 in the game. Good eyes at the plate were not limited to hits, as the Cats totaled up 16 walks in the game, to significantly increase the t...
As the river winds its way through the Wind River Canyon, it reaches a point at which the Wind River becomes the Bighorn River. That place is known as The Wedding of the Waters. There, locals and travelers alike are welcomed to access the river, for a fine day of angling for trophy size brown and rainbow trout; or to simply spend a relaxing day floating the river in a boat, in a kayak, or on a tube. The Wedding of the Waters is a quiet and peaceful place, where the tranquil sound of the moving...
At their June 2 meeting, the Thermopolis Town Council took up the second reading of a draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27. The draft budget includes raises for town employees, which were approved earlier in the year by the council. Also included in the budget are increased costs for employer provided medical insurance for town employees. As she had at the time of the first reading of the proposed budget, council member Rachel Hughes took issue with the proposed bonus provision for the Thermopolis Police Department. Hughes stated...
The Hot Springs County School Board met for their regular monthly meeting on May 21. The board took time to celebrate achievements by students at Ralph Winters Elementary School who received training through the American Heart Association in hands-only CPR, and in recognizing early warning signs of stroke. Through a student fundraiser at the school, over ten thousand dollars were raised to support research, education and training programs through the American Heart Association. From Hot Springs County High School, the board lauded the remarkabl...
The 53rd Annual Wyoming Shrine Bowl game will be played this Saturday, June 13 at Cheney Alumni Field, at Natrona County High School in Casper. Graduating seniors were selected to play in the game earlier this year, by nominating coaches from high school programs around the State of Wyoming. Hot Springs County High School Bobcat seniors Zak Hastie and Cruz Mascorro were each selected to play for the North team and left on Monday to kick off practice sessions in Casper. The North team came out...
The Hot Springs High School track teams put in a fantastic effort this past season - sweeping the Regionals Championships in both the boys, and in the girls divisions. Thermopolis qualified 29 thinclads to compete in the State Championships in Casper this year. Last week, the Wyoming High School Athletic Association (WYHSAA) announced the names of the state championship competitors who had earned this year’s All-State designations. Six Bobcats and two Lady Cats made the list. Earning her second consecutive award, Logann Farrell, had a season b...
The Thermopolis Legion Baseball team hosted a double-header last Saturday afternoon. The Evanston Outlaws came into town sporting a 15-6 record in the early going and were on a 7-game winning streak. This year’s team is comprised of Tanner Delay, Braxton Delay, Kacey Mackay, Tate Roberts, Tim Lippincott, Cason Johnson, Trenton Enis, Kade Enis, Bobby Crow, Sabrie Whiting and Archer Price. After spending a good deal of the early going playing on the road, the Cats have had an up and down season so far, coming into the weekend with a 5-4-1 r...
On Tuesday, June 2, the Hot Springs County Commissioners held their first regular meeting for the month. Sheriff Jerimie Kraushaar provided the Commissioners with a report of the recently completed security evaluation for the county courthouse. The review is done every two years, and the results are sent to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Upgrades to security in the building are proposed to separate the judge’s chambers area from areas accessible by the general public. Details for the work are due for filing by August 31, 2026, and the required w...
The Board of Directors of Hot Springs Health held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 26. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Scott Alwin, reviewed with the board the decision reached by the board to sell the vacant Basin property. The property has been vacant for more than two years, and has been on the market that entire time, with only minimal interest being generated. The Children’s Resource Center in Cody has offered to purchase the property for $400,000. Alwin reported that Hot Springs Health will be ending its agreement with W...
On Friday, May 29, District Judge James Kaste, issued an Order granting Summary Judgment in favor of the Plaintiffs in a case filed in Laramie County District Court in 2025. The court also denied the Motion for Summary Judgment, which had been filed in the case by the Defendants. In early 2025, the Hot Springs County Republican Party elected new officers for their organization. Joe Martinez was elected to serve as Chairman; Clay Van Antwerp was elected to serve as Vice-Chairman; Jean Skelton was elected to serve as Treasurer; Meri Ann Dorman wa...
The Travel & Tourism Board held their monthly meeting at the Hot Springs State Park office on May 26. Joining the board for her first meeting was newly appointed board member Ashley Evans. Evans was appointed by the county commissioners to fill a vacancy on the board. Her term of office will expire on May 31, 2027. Belle Belden appeared for the Hot Springs County Fair Board to advise that the fair board desires to undertake organizing a demolition derby in Thermopolis. The event had been organized in past years by the chamber board. That...
Ahh, June - that most hospitable of seasons. When rays of sunshine, and azure skies, provide a welcoming warmth, after the dreary days of winter - and the uncertain times of spring. When the cottonwood trees have fully leaved out - and the Kentucky blue grass has assumed the enticing hue of British racing green. These are times when a young man’s fancy turns to baseball. His thoughts morph from algebra and trigonometry, to a more applied form of mathematics - baseball statistics. Gone are the dreary lessons of government, social studies and E...
At their May 19 meeting, the Thermopolis Town Council took up the issue of a draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27. The draft budget includes raises for town employees, which were approved earlier in the year by the council. Also included in the budget are increased costs for employer provided medical insurance for town employees. In their budget discussions, the council touched upon the need, from both a recruiting and a retaining perspective, to provide increased retirement benefits for employees in the police department. Sgt....
On May 19, the Hot Springs County Commissioners held their second regular meeting for the month of May. County assessor Dan Webber requested approval of the 2026 Abstract Report. The abstract is a collection of all properties, and their values, which are located within Hot Springs County. Webber reported that he had received no appeals of property assessments this year. Sitting in their capacity as the Hot Springs County Board of Equalization, the Commissioners approved the Abstract for filing with the State Board of Equalization. Once the...
The Hot Springs High School track teams were in Casper last weekend for the Wyoming 2A State Championships. With stellar performances from both the boys and the girls teams in their final week of the regular season and at regionals in Shoshoni, the teams headed into the state championships on a high. All season long, Thermopolis had expected their main competition for a state title would be the team from Big Horn, and the prediction held true. At the end of the three-day event in Casper, Big...
