Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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-by Buzzy Hassrick, reporter, Cody Enterprise “Don’t worry, he doesn’t jump,” said a woman as she was walking with a friend and three dogs along the trail toward me. That comment came after the smallest dog had already put its front paws up on my leg – despite my firm command not to jump on me – as the non-jumping, large, shaggy red dog approached. She was correct, the red one behaved well, as did the third, lanky one. None of the dogs were on a leash. And later I saw the red one chasing a petrified, fleeing fawn on the single track ahead...
Get those dancing shoes back out because we have another concert in Thermopolis this week! Tris Munsick and the Innocents will be performing on Friday, Sept. 11 at Hot Springs County Fairgrounds in front of the grandstands. The concert starts at 7 p.m. with opener The Clay Halos. This is a fundraiser for the Thermopolis PRCA Rodeo Committee. For more information and a QR code to scan for tickets, see the ad on page 12....
Thermopolis, get your dancing shoes. Our community is going to experience a special treat on Saturday,Sept. 5 with a free Ben Haggard concert on the streets downtown Opener is Rhyder Scott. Gates will open at 5 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for a fee. For more information, see the story on page 1 or the ad on page 2 of this paper. Bring your folding chairs and enjoy!...
The Smoking Waters Demolition Derby is set for Saturday, August 29 at the fairgrounds. The total payout to drivers for the night is expected to reach $20,000. That’s some serious money and, hopefully, means we will have a full night of smashing and bashing. The event is now sponsored by the Hot Springs County Fair Board and is a fundraiser for fairgrounds upkeep. Get your tickets at the gate for this action packed event. For more information and a QR code to scan, see the ad on page 2 of this paper....
Our press deadline only allows us to include some of the unofficial primary election results in this issue of the IR. We will follow up with more election results in next week’s paper. The Hot Springs County website at hscounty.com will have all the local results. State results can be found at sos.wyo.gov/elections/electionresults.aspx...
The primary election is coming up on Tuesday, August 18. In this edition of the Independent Record, you will find an election section with sample ballots, a wealth of candidate information and advertising. We hope you will read the information and that it helps our readers become informed voters. Be sure to vote on August 18!...
In this edition of the IR, we have the Hot Springs County School District informational pages on page 8 and 9. They are full of useful information for all three schools, buses and more. Next week, we will have a special primary election section featuring local and state candidate information and sample ballots as we head to the polls on August 18. All six of our local county commissioner candidates are running as republicans and the primary will narrow that down to the top two. This is a very important election for our county. The week of...
Hot Springs County Fair will wrap up this week with the Judge’s Choice Bake Sale Silent Auction and the Junior lIvestock Auction on Friday evening at the multi-purpose building at the fairgrounds. A pre-sale buyers dinner is at 6 p.m. with the livestock auction starting at 7 p.m. We encourage everyone to come out and support the youth and celebrate their months of hard work. On Saturday, the Gift of the Waters parade will be downtown at 10 a.m. followed by traditional dancing at the flag pole. That evening at 6 p.m., there will be more d...
It is Hot Springs County Fair time. Be sure to see the story and ad on page 3 of this paper, the ads on page 7 and the insert with information on all the upcoming events during our county fair. There is something for everyone to see and do. Your support of the county fair is appreciated!...
This year’s planning of the Hot Springs County High School All Class Reunion hit a few snags and the gathering at the VFW Saturday night and the Sunday picnic have been canceled. The Hot Springs County Museum is welcoming reunion visitors from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 18. Individual classes will be holding their gatherings at locations around Hot Springs County. The official reunion photographer is available to take photos at the class gatherings. The Independent Record will run those photos in a future edition of the paper. If your c...
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...
