Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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The Thermopolis Volunteer Fire Department will be doing their annual fireworks show for the July 4th Independence Day celebration, according to Fire Chief Mark Collins. He said that they are about $5,000 short on funds for the show compared to what they normally collect in previous years. They usually budget between $12,000 to $14,000 for a typical show. However, even though the funds raised this year is lower, John Fish, head of the fireworks committee, reports a pyrotechnician will come in to...
The Thermopolis Town Council passed their 2021 budget on the third reading, however, assistant to the Mayor Fred Crosby did say that they may have to act fast on their feet later in the year. At the June 16 council meeting, Crosby said he has heard from the State that things may not go as well this year as they thought. If things look bad in three or four months they may have to revisit the budget and make some changes. This was due to the lower revenues caused by the COVID-19 situation. In...
Jacque and Bobbie Reed recently celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. Also known as the diamond or platinum anniversary, it symbolizes a relationship that is truly once in a lifetime. When they met each other Jacque was working for Mountain Bell Telephone Company. He was a lineman stationed in Wheatland. Bobbie was working at the hospital in Wheatland. They met through mutual friends. When asked how did you know you were meant to marry, Bobbie laughed and said, "Well, I don't really know....
In preparation for the coming election and the vote on the new lodging tax, a new political action committee was formed to assist the Travel and Tourism Board in fundraising efforts. This tax will not be money taken from the local residents, but instead, it will be collected by motels from tourists who stay at their venues. The reason the PAC was created is that the Tourism Board cannot lobby for itself. Greg Willson will be the PAC’s chair and Meri Ann Rush will be the Treasurer. Willson explai...
The Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce has made the difficult decision to cancel their annual Demolition Derby held annually in August. In their press release, they said their Board of Directors “have made the difficult decision to cancel the Annual Thermopolis Demolition Derby scheduled for August 8, 2020. We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our drivers and spectators. But we know it is the right decision based on the information we have today. We look forward to m...
Jennifer Fisher and Forrest Coleman-Weisz approached the Town Council asking if they could have a street dance featuring well-known music artist Chancey Williams. Fisher proposed two dates, July 1 and 2. They want to close the street and have an open container policy while maintaining the regulations of social distancing. Fisher said this could be an opportunity to raise spirits and celebrate in light of the economic situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the current...
The Chamber of Commerce is looking for high school students and adults to operate their fireworks store in preparation for the Independence Day holiday. Fireworks SuperMarket purchased the store last year and contacted the Chamber in February. They wanted to find an organization to run it. Chamber director Meri Ann Rush contacted a few different organizations to manage the store and couldn't find anybody to do it. Then the COVID-19 situation occurred and Rush wondered if any events were going...
Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital has moved into their newly constructed wing and is making the transition to be known as Hot Springs Health. Jake Schrickling, project manager of Sletten Construction, reported on the effort that is still going on at the hospital. They have been preparing for the demolition of the old building and full tear down. It should take three weeks to get to the ground level, according to Schrickling. By the next hospital board meeting, the old patient wing will be...
The Police Department recently upgraded and renovated its 911 communications center. The old console was installed in 2004 and recently ceased to work properly. The Town of Thermopolis approved the new console from Xybix. Xybix installed the new console and took them a day and a half to complete the install. The new center gives an updated look and professional atmosphere. Police Chief Julie Mathews made the improvements with funds from the town. There was new paint donated and applied by...
Several financial issues were discussed, including the next year’s budget amongst others, during the May 19 Thermopolis Town Council meeting. Town Attorney Mike Messenger gave the first reading of a price increase for the legislature and the courts increase in cost for operation and maintenance of the computer software system and operation for the municipal court and for all courts as well. This is amending Ordinance #848 increasing the court automation fee from $25 to $40 pursuant to Wyoming s...
The local Mason's Chapter called the Malta Lodge #17 is looking to restore its 115-year-old building which was built in 1905. The Lodge has done many local philanthropic charity events and they seek to do more. The effort is led by members Eric Kay and John Brooks. Currently, they are trying to raise awareness and funds that will hopefully lead them to matching grants. Kay explained that the building has had some DIY work done over the years, but it's been 20 years since any major work has been...
The Hot Springs County Travel and Tourism Board met to discuss their current budget with some changes and next year’s budget as well. In her financial report, Tourism Director Jackie Dorothy reported for the current year so far they are under budget with expenses reaching $116,000 out of a total allotment of $200,000. This makes some of their money carryover into the next year. In Dorothy’s Director’s Report, she discussed their strategic marketing plan. Dorothy wants to focus on this for the n...
Hot Springs County School District #1 will be starting a Summer Food Service Program on Wednesday, May 27. Drive through meal service will continue to be offered at four locations in our county. Every free meal taken supports your local school nutrition program. There are free meals for any child 18 and under. There is no paperwork required and meals must be consumed off-site. Families can pick up meals Monday and Wednesday 11 a.m. thru 1 p.m. at these locations: Ralph Witters Elementary Loop,...
The Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital opened its new addition's doors on Tuesday for tours to key supporters of the construction. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the tours were delayed and numbers were limited. Hospital CEO Margie Molitor said, "Because we weren't able to do the open house that we had planned, we did have a few tours for people who helped make it possible. So, we did the elected officials this morning, and the Yes For Our Hospital group this afternoon and the Hospital...
Mayor Mike Chimenti, under the recommendation of Town Attorney Mike Messenger, appointed Marshall Keller as the assistant town attorney. Messenger said that Keller has been working on the codes for the past five weeks and reviewing the codebook. He wants him to have some authority if Messenger is not available for Town Council or Town Court. Town Engineer Anthony Barnett reported that there was a substantial completion of the raw water bore for the golf course and they finalized the pay estimate...
Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital CEO Margie Molitor had to push back their move-in date for their new facility. She said, “We were shooting for a move date of May 5 but this has been moved back.” Molitor says she doesn’t know when the move will actually happen yet. Molitor has said before that the dates were always tentative. The hospital has to do some touch-up work and film the virtual tour. However, Molitor did say, “There are lots of things going on.” With COVID-19 there were continual...
The Messenger Law Firm has recently hired a new attorney, Marshall Keller, a former Navy Seal who also has a background in the mining industry. Keller recently passed the bar exam from the University of Wyoming College of Law. He took his exam on February 24. He spent two-and-a-half years at law school preparing for his law license. He will mostly focus on civil litigation and take on some defense work as well. The Court has already talked to him about taking some court appointments and doing...
Hot Springs County, through the efforts of Dr. Vernon Miller, County Health Officer, Tricia McPhie, Director of Public Health, and Bill Gordon, Hot Springs County Emergency Management Coordinator, has received a variance from the Wyoming Department of Health to re-open restaurants and bars, under certain conditions. As of Tuesday evening, the Wyoming Department of Health will allow restaurants, bars and other places offering food, beverages or alcohol for consumption on their premises to...
Clover Cheney is a very fun and adventurous seven-year-old who recently received a special bicycle through a fundraiser for children with special needs. Her mother, Jennifer, explained that Clover was born with a rare genetic disorder called Prader-Willi Syndrome. She said, "It's caused by a missing 15th chromosome. It causes disruption in the brain's hypothalamus, which helps keep the body in balance and working as it should. When the hypothalamus isn't working right, the rest of the body is...
The Thermopolis Town Council recently voted and approved Rachel Moon to join the Travel and Tourism Board. She replaced Kevin Skates who left the Board in May of 2019 and he did not re-apply for the position. The Town advertised several times for a new person to take Skates’ vacant position but no one applied. Moon currently works at the County Museum. Travel and Tourism Board President Carl Leyba did tell Assistant to the Mayor Fred Crosby that Moon has attended some of the recent state m...
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital’s CEO Margie Molitor announced that “In light of everything happening we have a move-in date of April 29 that is tentative.” The hospital will do a virtual open house on Facebook and the internet prior to the move in so the public can see all the rooms and facilities. They have postponed their strategic planning until a later date. She also said they have one patient that is positive with COVID-19 in the hospital that...
Shelley Deromedi was inspired by the Little Free Library's worldwide phenomenon and made her own for her front yard. It was a free exchange of books for whomever. Deromedi and her family built it in memory of her daughter Jennifer, who passed away in 1998. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, Deromedi removed the books and converted her front yard Little Library into a pantry food exchange so she could make room for foods for the needy. Deromedi said, "When the COVID started, people were off work...
Local businesses in Thermopolis have taken significant measures in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many wonder where their futures lie. The nation’s overall reaction to the Coronavirus has been strong with President Trump, state governors and local town mayors all essentially shutting down many businesses, except for federally recognized essential ones, to prevent the spread of the virus. Some residents are in fear, others are in denial and others have hope in the face of this abrupt e...
Prior to her role as an elected official, Hot Springs County Attorney Jill Logan was balancing life as a stay at home mom while being in private practice and helping her husband on their ranch. Her private law practice was primarily estate planning and administration, with a focus on a lot of farm and ranch succession planning. Now she has spent more than one year in her role as County Attorney and Logan said that her first year has flown by. “It’s just been a whirlwind, just going. We’ve been r...
The Thermopolis Police Department recently received two new Chevy Tahoe SUVs for their patrol duties. Chief Julie Mathews was instrumental in this new purchase. She said, “Every year the PD tries to replace one patrol car. This year we were fortunate to replace with two 2020 Chevy Tahoes. We’ve changed the graphic design on them. The backseat transport section cage has been updated for safety for not only the officers but whoever we place in the back with the seatbelt system. The new seats are e...
