Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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Wyoming Discovery Days hits town this weekend with a variety of things to do and see. From live music, to demonstrations to dog races, you can see it all. Hot Springs State Park will be packed on Saturday and Sunday with fun and entertainment. Don’t forget the concert on Friday night that kicks the weekend off. Be sure to remember to keep yourself, your kids, your pets and others hydrated as we are expecting triple digit temperatures over the weekend. Enjoy the weekend, stay safe and have fun! For more information, see page 6 of this paper o...
On Saturday July 4, people across the United States of America will be celebrating our country’s 250th birthday. As we do so, let’s remember it is about more than BBQs, parades and fireworks. Battles have been fought and lives have been lost to earn and keep our American freedoms. In mid 1774, tensions were escalating between the British Army and the colonies. The British Parliament imposed the Intolerable Acts, an attempt to disarm Americans, leading to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775. They were the battles of the Rev...
A few of our readers have asked if we are planning to write a story regarding the June Hot Springs County Republican Party meeting. We are holding off at the moment. After the meeting, an agency covering the meeting made the announcement that the Thermopolis Independent Record was one of the businesses that is owed money by the party. In an effort to be fully transparent, we will acknowledge that is correct. So, yes, the walk out and lack of quorum to approve and pay bills at the June meeting created a bit of a conflict of interest for us on...
For years, Wyoming has talked about economic diversification. Governors have talked about it and legislators have argued about it. Business leaders have dreamed about it, and editorial writers have written about it. Meanwhile, Wyoming has continued to struggle with the same challenges that have haunted the state for decades. Our young people leave, our communities age, and our economy rises and falls with commodity prices. Then we wonder why our children and grandchildren cannot find enough opportunities to stay and build their futures in the...
We are planning a special historical section to run in the July 2 edition of the Thermopolis Independent Record. We will be celebrating the United States Semiquincentennial. Even more so, we will be celebrating our Hot Springs County roots. Every Hot Springs County business has an opportunity to participate in this special edition. The editorial body of the special section will include historical photos and stories about Hot Springs County history. Individual business ads are available to brag about the success of your business. This special...
by Bryan Golden, author of “Dare to Live Without Limits.” Acting without first thinking is too common. It is called reacting. It leads to unintended negative consequences. Problems are needlessly created or exacerbated. In this state, you are driven by emotion rather than logic. Anger, jealousy, bitterness, hurt, fear, and distrust are some of the feelings which bypass rational thought. Thinking after acting makes as much sense as a carpenter who cuts first and then measures. Once cut, a board cannot be made longer. Actions, once taken, can...
Schools are wrapping up the 2025-26 school year which means our young community members will be out and about on a regular basis. Children will be going here, there and everywhere to enjoy their summer break. We ask that drivers be extra mindful and watch for youth walking, riding bikes and scooters. Children can easily get distracted and forget to look both ways before crossing the street. Let’s all do our part to keep our youth safe. Bring on summer fun! Stay safe....
The official Wyoming political candidate filing period is underway and will close on May 29. Early reports are that over 100 candidates have already filed statewide. Candidates began making campaign announcements right after the first of year. Those who file by May 29 will appear on the primary election ballot in August with winners moving on to the general election in November. Several high-profile races will be decided in the 2026 election - on the federal, state and local level. For our June 4 edition, we will run the names of candidates who...
Wyoming Education Association President Kimberly Amen’s issues statement on school funding The Wyoming Education Association supports fully funding every part of Wyoming’s public schools. That includes not only competitive salaries for educators, but also the programs and supports that help students succeed every day: activities, nutrition services, counseling and student support staff, transportation, and safe learning environments. As districts work through the new recalibration model and the required changes tied to ADM (Average Daily Member...
by Tom Emery, freelance writer Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10. Mothers everywhere will rejoice. So will the greeting-card companies, flower shops, and telephone providers. Though celebrated in pockets in previous eras, Mother’s Day has been an official holiday for over 110 years. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as a day to honor the nation’s mothers. “The signing was not that important to Wilson in a political sense. But it would not have taken much persuasion for Wilson...
by The Hot Springs County Prevention Coalition Graduation is more than just a ceremony; it’s a moment of collective pride for our entire community. As we watch our local seniors prepare for their next big step, the Hot Springs County Prevention Coalition wants to celebrate the hard work, resilience, and bright futures of every student in the Class of 2026. A Visible Sign of Support As you drive through town this month, you may notice our “Safe and Sober Graduation” yard signs popping up on lawns and posters in the windows of our local busin...
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 to!...
by Victoria O’Brien, Cody Enterprise There was a story I heard a few years ago, about a man in the city, who went on daily walks around his neighborhood and felt sad at how much garbage he saw, and how little was done by waste management to fix it. Eventually, he grew so tired of seeing trash on a particular strip of grass near a highway’s on-and-off ramp that he decided he would go and collect waste from the patch once a week on Thursday. It took about six months of persistent, thankless work on this man’s part to see obvious results, but,...
The official candidate filing period in Wyoming does not open until May 14, but a plethora of candidates have already made their announcements to run for state and some local offices. The closing date for filing is May 29 at 5 p.m. Following that deadline, the IR will run information on candidates who have officially filed for local and state offices. The primary election will be on August 18. We will run a special section the Thursday before election day to provide details on each candidate locally and most state and federal level candidates....
by John Bernhisel The other day I was driving out on a dirt road well beyond Cowley, heading to one of my favorite running spots. It’s the kind of place I go to be alone and reflect. Out there, the noise fades and things usually make a little more sense. As I came around a bend, I saw a car creeping along awkwardly. The driver was practically hanging out the window trying to flag me down. Flat tire. Middle of nowhere. No cell service. And when he went to fix it, he realized the jack was missing. You could see it in his face. He wasn’t just inc...
Props to the Hot Springs County community members who turned out in force last Friday to support one of their own. Once again, you proved just how wonderful, and unique, you are. For a community of this size to raise that much money in one evening is something to be proud of. Seeing people come together for a good cause is something we will never grow tired of witnessing. Just like many of you, a member of the IR staff has been at nearly every cookie jar auction for the last 30 plus years. And just like many of you, we are consistently...
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 p...
by Jonathan Gallardo, editor, Gillette News Record It’s hard to believe that another legislative session is behind us. It hasn’t even been a month. It feels like it was just yesterday that a nice rich lady from Jackson tried to give money to lawmakers and the media made a big deal about it. Despite this slight hiccup, legislators were still able to get some work done. They came to an agreement on a budget and school finance recalibration. If you’re old enough to vote, you’re old enough to get your concealed-carry license. The legisla...
Is it time to stop changing our clocks twice a year? This has been visited and revisited. Like most ideas, there are those who think we should stop and those that think we should continue. Wyoming passed legislation (HB0044) in March 2020 to adopt year-round Mountain Daylight Saving Time. However, this change is contingent on federal approval and at least four neighboring Western states enacting similar legislation. It is currently in a “wait-and-see” mode regarding federal action and regional coordination. The legislature introduced ano...
The Wyoming State Legislature began its budget session this week. While headlines have already appeared about various budget items debated prior to the session, the final budget bill was posted Feb. 6 — three days before the session convened — and introduced as mirror bills in both the House and the Senate. The Legislature now has approximately four weeks to complete several major tasks. In addition to passing the state’s biennial budget (a budget covering two years), lawmakers will consider 335 bills this session, including interim commi...
Trailblazing means introducing new ideas or methods, innovative or pioneering. We are happy to bring you a new guest column about Hot Springs County Trailblazers, the first of which appears to the right of this editorial. This year, Hot Springs County will be home to Trailblazing Days June 12-14. The event will celebrate the early trailblazers who traversed the difficult terrain to settle in the Big Horn Basin. The event will feature a chuckwagon dinner, concert, cowboy poetry, parade, area treks, BBQ and more. Some arrangements are still be...
The wildlife of Wyoming is a valuable resource that belongs to every resident of the Equality State. Many enjoy watching these wild denizens going about their lives — grazing, rutting, caring for young and just existing. Others harvest one or more animals per year for sustenance, celebrating and thanking the wild life that helps sustain human life. Ethical hunters practice fair chase. When bad actors break the state game laws, we all should be indignant. Public servants create systems to manage the health and numbers of animals the habitat can...
A tragic car crash took the lives of two young members of our community last week. Two other community members were also involved in the wreck. From those four people, the far reaching effect to our small community is large. Family members, friends and acquiescences feel the effects of a tragedy long after it happens. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to all involved. When tragedy strikes, we are reminded of how fragile and short life is. Hug your people, tell them you love them. Life can change in the blink of an eye....
We are constantly in the process of improving the Thermopolis Independent Record. A new weekly column appears on this page. It ran for the first time in last week’s edition. We find it fun and interesting but would like to know what our readers think. Please take the time to read the column and let us know your thoughts. The column will be ran on a space available basis. Letters to the editor and community chatter submissions will take precedence when we have them. We welcome our readers comments or suggestions on all topics. You can stop by t...
The Wyoming Press Association award plaques on the wall at the Independent Record office date back to 1988. Awards were won prior to that, but older plaques have been replaced by newer ones as the years went by. We enjoy winning awards. Who doesn’t? However, we determine our success through the eyes of our readers. If you are reading, we are succeeding. Our advertisers are a big part of our success, too. We are thankful for your faith in the IR to get the word out about your business, event, service, etc. A community paper is not possible witho...
