Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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by Mark Dykes Among the discussion at the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Jan. 24 meeting was the financial report. Greg Willson wanted to make sure things were “on track” in terms of actual numbers against what was budgeted. Chamber Executive Director Meri Ann Rush noted that as of December — six months through the fiscal year — the budgeted income was $141,660 and the actual income is $85,409.46, over the halfway mark. “I think we’re doing good,” Rush said. “We’re still showing a n...
Senator Wyatt Agar reported that the budget debate had reached something of a standstill last week and was picked up again Tuesday. The issues, Agar explained, stem from the House wanting $75 million for capital construction projects in Laramie and Cheyenne. The Senate voted against it, instead proposing $200 million be set aside in a separate account to impact the upcoming $250 million structural deficit in education. Naturally, Agar said, the Senate’s proposal was voted down so both the H...
This past weekend was the 2019 Wyoming Press Association Winter Convention in Cheyenne. The annual event is something I look forward to every year, and not just for the opportunity to stay in a fancy hotel and eat catered meals for a couple days. Each year, I and the rest of the staff at The Independent Record go through the articles we’ve written and the photos we’ve taken, submitting them to various categories for a chance at the Pacemaker awards given out every year. Additionally, there are...
Some can look at a stick on the side of the road or a tree branch and think nothing of it, but for Kevin Jacobs it’s an opportunity to help others. Jacobs noted he was very appreciative of his brother in getting the word out about what he does for those in the community. A lifelong Wyoming resident and former railroad man with Union Pacific, Jacobs is now disabled and lives in Thermopolis. According to a letter from his brother, Ken, Jacobs taught himself woodworking and over the years has m...
The boys basketball team saw a couple losses last weekend, 37-31 against Newcastle and 71-34 against Douglas Coach Shane Corpening stated, “For the Newcastle game I was extremely pleased with our defensive effort. We held Newcastle to 37 points, about 20 under their average. We had a balanced scoring attack with Jarron Mortimore and Sean Miller leading the way with eight points apiece. Duder Harvey also chipped in seven points. “We got off to a good start against Newcastle, but we ran into a s...
During their regular Tuesday night meeting, the Thermopolis Town Council, with council member John Dorman Sr. absent, approved a resolution to accept ownership of the South Thermopolis Water & Sewer District (STW&SD) water line between the Owl Creek water line at Highway 120 and the top of Cedar Ridge. Under the resolution, the town accepts ownership of the segment of line between vault 101 and vault 102 in the Owl Creek water line. Further, STW&SD has secured right-of-way agreements with Rocky...
If you happened to be out and about late this past Sunday, you might have caught a glimpse of this blood-red moon during the eclipse. This is also the first full moon of 2019, and a "super moon" due to its closeness to Earth....
Last week, Senator Wyatt Agar reported an 11-1 vote effectively killed a bill related to the Wyoming Pioneer Home. Specifically, the legislation sought to have the the department of health conduct a study and develop recommendations on the financial benefits cost savings and programmatic impacts of transferring state ownership of the Pioneer Home and Wyoming Retirement Center to another health care provider. Ager also reported that within the Appropriations Committee they are having hearings...
A hearing has been scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1 in a case against Ray DeVries, who is charged with five counts of theft, one count of property damage and one count of criminal trespassing. All seven charges are misdemeanors. The hearing is in regard to an objection raised by DeVries’ attorney on Hot Springs County Attorney Jill Logan’s motion to bring in a special prosecutor for the case, due to a conflict of interest. The objection states the Fremont County Attorney’s Office hasn’t been pr...
Though Keith and Amy O'Brien had plans to move to Thermopolis when they retired, tragedy put them here a couple years ahead of their schedule. The O'Briens are many who lost their home in the devastating Camp Fire that started on Nov. 8 in Paradise, Calif. The couple came to Thermopolis Dec. 28, though they've been visiting family and friends here for years. Living in Paradise, Keith said they were no strangers to forest fires around their town, as they lived in a mountain community with plenty...
Last week the seventh and eighth grade boys basketball team kicked their season off with a two quads. The seventh grade played at Worland, while eighth was at Cody. The eighth grade A Team saw a 59-13 loss against Cody, and the B team had a 21-7 loss. Coach Ryan Shaffer said this was a rough start for the A squad, “as we played a very talented Cody team. We had a few issues with rebounding as we were a little intimidated by the height of their players. After the first quarter the boys settled d...
Duder Harvey makes a drive toward the basket during the Bobcats' game against Riverside Friday afternoon. The boys saw two victories last weekend, with a 49-22 win against Riverside and a 42-31 loss to Lovell on Friday, and a 48-33 win over Greybull on Saturday. At press time, the coach had not responded with stats or comments on the games....
During the Jan. 8 meeting of the Thermopolis Town Council, Julie Mathews was appointed by Mayor Mike Chimenti as the new police chief, Her law enforcement experience is quite varied and goes back to the late 90s. Mathews started with the Riverton Police Department in September of 1999 as a communications officer. Four years later she went to patrol. There is a branch at the Riverton department which lends out an officer to the Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which she was for...
During the Tuesday meeting of Hot Springs Travel and Tourism, the board continued discussion regarding the county having lower lodging tax collections. A report from the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division showed the county had a -0.7 percent change in lodging tax collections for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Hot Springs County was the only county that had a decline in lodging tax revenue. Hot Springs State Park Superintendent Kevin Skates said the fact that we were the only county to see a decline...
Julie Mathews was officially appointed Chief of the Thermopolis Police Department following a 4-1 vote at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Thermopolis Town Council. Council member Dusty Lewis had the one “no” vote. The appointment of the new police chief has generated some buzz around town since the general election, when Mike Chimenti was voted the new Mayor of Thermopolis, and former police chief Steve Shay announcing his retirement.Tuesday marked the final day of Shay as chief and Mike Morti... Full story
According to paperwork filed Dec. 31 and signed Jan. 2 by United States District Judge Alan B. Johnson, a lawsuit initially filed against Wyoming Whiskey, Brad Mead, Katherine Mead and David DeFazio was dismissed. The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 16, 2017 by Frank Sacca in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill., alleged they breached a National Sales Director Employment Agreement. Though the distillery is here in Hot Springs County, there were multiple sales staff in Illinois and efforts were made to...
Taking advantage of the early 2019 snow, Bradyn, Ben and Brian Weaver decided to build an igloo. Rather than building up a mound, the boys utilized shovels, buckets and other implements to form actual bricks. Though a bit larger than the traditional style, the giant igloo is plenty solid with room inside for at least three people....
The planet is coming back around on its annual journey, to those glorious days when we get a little bit more sun and still have some light to drive when the workday is over. It also means the snow we received over the holidays is now turning to slush and making the streets and highways a bit more difficult to drive on. But don’t let that stop you from going out and taking advantage of the longer days. With some snow still on the ground it’s a good opportunity to put up a snowman, igloo or oth...
Monday morning, Fifth Judicial District Court Judge Bobbi Overfield administers the Oath of Office to newly elected Hot Springs County officials....
The high school boys basketball team came away with a 0-3 record as they took on Big Piney, Pinedale and Lyman this past weekend at the East/West Classic at Rawlins. Coach Shane Corpening said the encouraging thing was that the Bobcats saw some better competition, taking on some 3A teams, and played hard in every game in the fourth quarter. “The struggle for us was just getting together a whole game.” In the game against Big Piney, Thermopolis was down 30-17 at the half, then wound up out...
The State of Wyoming Department of Audit recently released a report on the cost of maintaining city government for the fiscal year of July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. The report provides information in fund revenues and expenses, as well as what the cost is per taxpayer, based on the 2010 census numbers of 3,009 for Ther mopolis and 92 for Kirby. According to the report for Thermopolis, the Enterprise Fund revenue was $2,677,896, broken down to: Garbage — $486,762; Sewer — $732,640; Solid Waste ...
On Monday, Jan. 7, just be- fore 8:15, oaths of office were administered to several elected officials, among them new Hot Springs County Sheriff Jerimie Kraushaar, taking over from Lou Falgoust, who has spent 48 years in law enforcement - 17 of it as sheriff here. Following the oath of office, Falgoust pinned Kraushaar's new badge on and the two shared a heartfelt embrace. Kraushaar said his main priorities are to provide as much coverage for the county as possible, as well as being proactive an...
Mike Mortimore bid farewell Tuesday evening at the Thermopolis Town Council meeting, ending his most recent term as mayor. Mortimore was elected to a four-year term the town council in 1986, with the term beginning in 1987. He later served a total of five terms as mayor, back when terms were two years each, with a few breaks in between. 2000-2002 was his final two-year stint be- fore getting out for at least 10 years. He then joined the town council and in 2014 was again elected mayor, for a...
by Mark Dykes and Cindy Glasson The 65th Legislature for the State of Wyoming will convene on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and our Senior Legislator, Wyatt Agar, noted his move to the Appropriations Committee is a big one as it is the first time, to anyone’s recollection, a first term senator from the majority party has been placed on the committee. He further added it would be an interesting move, as senators typically wait two to three years to get on Appropriations, and he considers it a huge honor. Agar will focus on responsible use of tax dollars i... Full story
Vernon Miller and son John slide, spin and kick up a bit of powder as the reach the bottom of the hill on Warren Street, Friday afternoon. The Miller family, visiting from California, were among many taking advantage of the warm temperatures and slick snow....
