Week of February 26, 2026
Week of February 26, 2026
by Mike Koshmrl, WyoFile.com, via WNE Hot Springs County residents watched the Red Canyon Fire explode in August. Driven by extreme weather conditions, the lightning-sparked blaze burned nearly 195 square miles of grassland, sagebrush steppe and pinyon-juniper habitat in the Bighorn Range foothills, and it happened quickly — most of the burn area was charred in a span of four days. Dread in Hot Springs County communities like Thermopolis and Kirby wasn’t confined to the immediate effects, like lost fencelines and incinerated forage for...
Main Street Thermopolis announced that its Board of Directors has made the thoughtful decision to dissolve the organization effective June 30, 2026. After more than a decade of service to the Thermopolis community, this decision reflects a careful evaluation of the organization’s long-term sustainability and capacity. Main Street Thermopolis is proud of the progress, partnerships, and impact achieved over the past 10 years in supporting downtown vitality and community pride. As part of the dissolution process, all remaining assets of Main...
Following a public meeting on February 17, the Hot Springs County Commissioners approved a request to establish a gravel pit on property owned by the Brown Trust, located north of Highway 170 off of Owl Creek Road. The pit was approved for a period of five years and will be utilized in the upcoming Highway 120 West project, as well as other projects. The Land Use Planning Commission had recommended approval of the request, provided that the owners of the pit agreed work with the Road & Bridge Department for any upkeep needed on the road used...
The Thermopolis FFA chapter at Hot Springs County High School had a highly successful year focused on leadership development, student growth, community service, and agricultural advocacy. With 45 members and full participation in agricultural education, the chapter provided opportunities for students to build leadership skills through conferences, career exploration activities, mental health awareness initiatives, and strong Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. Members were...
On February 17, the Thermopolis Town Council took up a few citizen requests and also reviewed several liquor license renewal requests for the new year. The council approved liquor license renewals for the following establishments: OEB, LLC.; 7 Lazy S Café & Bar, LLC; Thermopolis Liquors; Mack’s Market Inc.; OEB Salon, LLC.; Double R Store, LLC.; Maverick Inc.; VFW Post #2281; Pizza Hut; and One Eyed Buffalo Brewing Company. The council agreed to renew the liquor license for Los Cabos, provided that the entity makes contact with the town on...
by John Bernhisel Are you willing to wake up in the early morning for something truly cosmic? On the morning of Tuesday March 3, sky watchers across the Big Horn Basin will have a chance to see one of nature’s most quietly dramatic shows. A total lunar eclipse, often called a “blood moon,” will unfold overhead as the Earth slowly slides between the sun and the moon. No telescope required. No ticket needed. Just a coat and a willingness to lose a little sleep. What makes it a blood moon? During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks...
At the 2025 State FFA Convention the Big Springs FFA Chapter was awarded a Gold Emblem and also named as one of the state finalists as a top 6 chapter in the state. At the national level, the chapter was rated a 3 star chapter, the highest ranking possible. At the state convention last April, seven members were named state champions for their aAgriscience research. They all submitted their applications to the national level and were all in the top 20 with two named as 5th in the nation, Apollo...
The Thermopolis - Hot Springs County Chamber Board held their regular monthly meeting on February 12. A number of on-going projects were updated for the board. In on-going projects, the chamber continues to work on issuing the 2026 City/County Map. The board has scheduled a board get-together at for March 17. The chamber will be sponsoring the Regional Civics Bee event, which will take place in Thermopolis on April 14. The board will host its banquet on March 14. The theme for the event will be “Our Roots Run Deep.” Tickets for the...
Unplug service A celebration of St. Patrick will be held for the March 1 Unplug service at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, corner of 7th and Arapahoe. Corned beef and cabbage will be service for dinner and music will be Irish fiddler Angela Botzer. Mid-Winter Blues Bash The annual Mid-Winter Blues Bash free community dinner and local education panel discussion will be held on Sunday, March 8 at the fairgrounds with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5 p.m. The event will feature activities for kids and door prizes....
Hot Springs County High School Bobcat wrestling team has had a remarkable season this year and rolled into the 2A West Regionals at Rocky Mountain High School in Cowley last weekend looking to qualify wrestlers for this week's state championships in Casper. In what can only be called a successful outing, the Cats finished third in the team standings and will send ten grapplers to Casper this week. Five Bobcats made it to the championship rounds where two were crowned regional champions....
Bobcats face Wind River in Riverton on Thursday The Hot Springs County High School Bobcats wrapped up their regular season last week with two big wins over Wind River and Rocky Mountain. Both games proved easy for the Cats - with wins by 48 points and by 38 points, respectively. With that, the Cats head into the 2A West Regional Tournament this week being undefeated in conference play and being the #1 Seed from the northwest. Wind River has been working its way through some tough seasons of late, and again, proved no match for the red hot...
It has been a long season for the Hot Springs County High School Lady Cat wrestlers, a season which has seen a wealth of success for the team’s five grapplers. Last weekend, the team was in Powell for the 2A West Regional Tournament, an event to determine which wrestlers would qualify to compete this week at the state championships. As a team, the Lady Cats finished 12th (out of 24) in the team standings and brought home an individual championship. Considering the gravity of the regional tournament, coach Travis McDermott said, “The Lady...
The Thermopolis Middle School boys eighth grade A basketball team won their conference championship last week in Greybull. Pictured are coach Ryan Roybal, Cal Epperson, Logan Stewart, Braxton Egger, Apollo Jenks, Soren Webber, Oliver Strenger, Cameron Martinez, Bo Dafoe, Jackson Skelton, William Garrison and coach Jaci...
Members of the Thermopolis Wrestling Club split the weekend with some members going to Glenrock for the King of the Rock Folkstyle Tournament, while other traveled to Wheatland for the Brady Read Memorial Tournament where they wrestled folk style, freestyle and greco. Team scores for each tournament were unavailable. The wrestling club will host their annual Wrestle-opolis next weekend with greco on Friday, March 6 and folkstyle and freestyle being wrestled on Saturday at the high school. Individual results were: King of the Rock in Glenrock...
Thermopolis Police Sergeant Nicole Anderson visited with locals during the first Coffee with a Cop meeting last week at Storyteller. The department plans to make this a monthly event at different locations around...
Steam rises from the water as silhouetted bison sculptures are backlit by a golden sunset in Hot Springs State...
The Hot Springs Speech and Debate Team continued its strong regular season, earning back-to-back 1A/2A Championship trophies at the Evergreen Classic Speech and Debate Tournament held at Green River High School on February 13–14 and the Greybull Forensic Challenge at Greybull High School on February 20–21. The Cats finished the regular season with five consecutive 1A/2A champion trophy wins. At Green River, senior Dean Bihr led the way, capturing the Congress Championship title. Sophomores...
Amara Gilreath made a place for her stuffed animal during the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church last...
Even with some snow remaining on the ground, calves born this week are coming into the world during unseasonably warm...
America is an idea. It belongs to No One and Everyone. No one in the United States is required to carry identification on them at all times. There is an inherent understanding that freedom exists for all who live here, whether born here or not, and that freedom is upheld by the Constitution and related laws and norms. As citizens, the trade-off for this freedom is that we have a civic duty to participate in our democracy. Participation by all creates the fabric that holds us together as a country. First among those civic duties is voting. The...
by Andrew Ellsworth, MD Take a moment to breathe. Close your eyes. Slowly inhale through your nose, pause, and gently exhale through your mouth. After a few steady breaths, you likely feel more relaxed and ready for the day. Now imagine plugging your nose and trying to breathe with your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth, blocking the airway. You would quickly feel stressed and uncomfortable. Now imagine that happening over and over again, all night long. That is what occurs with obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea...
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...
by Lily Hayes This series of Trailblazing is to share stories about those who pioneered in what is now Thermopolis, Hot Springs County, Wyoming. The first strings I remember holding onto and letting go, were Grandma’s apron strings. Pictures tell a thousand words and the pictures of the past always show my Grandmother with an apron on…..even while holding the smallest child; when her sons returned from war; feeding chickens; milking cows; preparing a meal; when young grandchildren rode horseback trying to get cattle through a gate...
Loren Bowen Alberts, 64, passed away on Feb 17, 2026, at his home in Basin, Wyo., surrounded by his loving family. Loren was born in Portland, Ore., on March 15, 1961. He graduated from David Douglas High School in 1979 and went on to serve an LDS mission in the Guam Micronesia area. Upon returning from his mission, Loren shunned the big city for Encampment, Wyo., where he worked for the Ron Platt family. During high school, Loren worked at Caster Carpet Villa in Portland, where he learned the...
Janice Marie Shumway Cluff returned home to her Father in Heaven on February 12, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at her home in Manti, Utah. She was born August 7, 1943, in Thermopolis, Wyo., to Lenard and Edith Shumway, the fifth of nine children, all of whom served full-time missions, a legacy she spoke of with love. She grew up on her family's farm milking cows, harvesting hay, working horses and herding sheep. At age 17 Janice served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ...
Patricia "Renee" Nunez Russ 1973 - 2026 Words cannot describe the loss we feel Saying farewell to you, But Heaven chose to give you wings And now it's time you flew. I wish that We could have more time, That God had let you stay. Forever would not be long enough... I wish I had just one more chance To see that tender smile, To laugh with you again my Love Gone too soon, but not forgotten, Forever you will remain Mornyng Rain, Kass, Emmi &...
Frank “Yogi” D. Henning, Jr. passed away on February 11, 2026. Services to be...
Ronald Dean Sassman passed away Friday, February 13 surrounded by his family at his home in Thermopolis, Wyo. He was 77. Ron was born to Dale and Christine Sassman on May 3, 1948, in Winner, S.D. Ron grew up in South Dakota, mostly around the Murdo area, moving around some during his childhood with his parents, three sisters, and two brothers. At the age of 17 he joined the Navy where he served in Vietnam and spent most of his time on a submarine. After leaving the Navy, he spent time with his...
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, Feb. 16 7:04 a.m. Agency assist for the for the police department. 11:56 p.m. Report of a basketball sized rock in the middle of the road on Highway 20 South at mile...
