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  • Price of town government

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 10, 2019

    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 ...

  • Jerimie Kraushaar takes over as Hot Springs County Sheriff

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 10, 2019

    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 reflects on time as Thermopolis mayor

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 10, 2019

    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...

  • Wyoming Legislature convenes January 8

    Mark Dykes and Cindy Glasson, Editor and Reporter Photographer|Jan 3, 2019

    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...

  • Drifting

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 3, 2019

    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....

  • Deer culling follow up

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 3, 2019

    November and December saw a regular culling of the female deer in the area, with 30 taken — 16 on Nov. 18 and 14 on Dec. 11. Sergeant Pat Cornwell said the deer were taken from the state park, town properties and the gully next to the fire hall among other areas. Out of the animals taken, four — just over 13 percent — were confirmed to have chronic wasting disease. Meat from the healthy animals was given to those who contacted the police department prior to the culling. Cornwell added it’s...

  • Bighorn River fish numbers rise

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 3, 2019

    Though the past few years have seen some varied numbers when it comes to fish in the Bighorn River, Wyoming Game and Fish Regional Fisheries Biologist Joe Skorupski is optimistic that the fish are surviving in greater numbers and the overall population is on a rising trend. Skorupski explained the varying water levels on the river in the last couple years have hit the fish population pretty hard — mainly the small fish, though there had been a decrease in big as well. However, while 2017 s...

  • Freshman see another win

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jan 3, 2019

    The freshman Bobcats took another road win Dec. 21, coming out 61-58 against Fort Washakie. Coach Dean Despain stated, “We played the high school basketball team for Fort Washakie; they don’t have a Varsity designation yet, so we played their entire team — Freshmen through Seniors — with our Froshmore Squad. The Fort Washakie team started hot, hitting their first two three-pointers and a couple bunnies, and jumped out to a 10-0 lead. We trailed for most of the game by right around 10 points,...

  • Hospital board approves ambulance increase

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    At their Dec. 18 meeting, the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees approved an ambulance service contract with a six percent increase. Hospital CEO Margie Molitor explained the hospital bills for ambulance service, and pays the service for any runs that are made. She noted the service has not had any increases in the past three years. Additionally, new quality measures were incorporated into the contract, particularly in regard to heart attacks, strokes and trauma. In other...

  • Sheriff Claus

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    As is tradition, Hot Springs County Sheriff Lou Falgoust stopped by Ralph Witters Elementary last week to deliver some candy canes to the students. Joining Falgoust was Deputy Sergeant Jeremie Kraushaar....

  • Taking a bit of time

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    It’s strange to think that we’re nearly into 2019 already. When I was in school, it seemed like the 21st century was so far away and couldn’t get here soon enough, especially with Hollywood, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera promising all the wondrous things it would bring. Flying cars? Nope. Accurate weather forecasts? Sort of. Houses with treadmills on the outside? No way. Hoverboards? Well, we’re getting there. Artificially intelligent robots? We’re making big steps, but the excitemen...

  • Ring the bells

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    There was plenty of enthusiasm for the Pre-K Academy's Christmas program featuring the three-year-old students, in their musical rendition of "Jingle Bells." Along with their performance, students said what they wanted for Christmas and gave presents to family members....

  • High school students building automated gardening system

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    Students and teacher Britton Van Heule are using the former auto shop space in the Vocational Building to build a new kind of gardener, a "farm bot." Van Heule explained the bot uses a grid system for a vegetable garden, with the programming done by the student. The bot plants the seeds, waters them, and even pulls and kills weeds. Van Heule noted the bots can be ordered from a company in California, and even NASA is considering using them on some of their projects. As for the assembly, Van Heul...

  • Nina Webber reflects on time as Hot Springs County Clerk

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    Following the General election in November, Rose DeSyn was voted in as the next Hot Springs County Clerk, replacing Nina Webber, though Webber is proud of her contributions to the county and excited what the future will bring. Webber first came into the position when it was vacated by the previous clerk, and was encouraged to apply by the Hot Springs County Republican Committee. Following an interview process by 10-15 people — though she noted at the time it felt like a hundred — she was cho...

  • Purple and gold

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 27, 2018

    While many of the songs were familiar, there was plenty of variety in the arrangements during the Hot Springs County High School Music Department's Christmas Gala 2018. Along with the Bobcat Concert Choir and Concert Band, the concert also featured music from the high school's Jazz Cats....

  • Hospital project enters into final financing phases

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    At a special meeting last Thursday, the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees signed documents to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing the addition and renovation of the hospital. Hospital CEO Margie Molitor explained the bank will officially close on this Thursday, Dec. 20, and the USDA, architects and construction staff are doing pre-construction meetings this week. Following those steps, she said, construction on the project could begin at any time. It’s the f...

  • Council approves contract renewal

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    During their Tuesday night meeting, the Thermopolis Town Council approved renewing a 40-year contract with the Bureau of Reclamation, for water storage at Boysen Reservoir. The current contract runs out on May 8, 2019. The motion approved last night is for a memorandum of understanding to pay the bureau $15,000 for all the work in getting the contract renewed, sending a check off and budgeting for it. Mayor’s Assitant Fred Crosby said the $15,000 for a 40-year contract is about $370 per year. C...

  • New couselors join WellSpring

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    Recently, WellSpring Counseling welcomed two new staff members to its family of clinicians. Joseph Stringer was hired in June as a staff therapist and is licensed as a professional counselor. He has experience in both mental health therapy and substance use disorder treatment. Stringer graduated from Colorado Christian University with his Master's in 2009 and had worked prior to that as a caseworker for the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services. He is also a certified addictions...

  • Going once...

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    The community again came together last Saturday, generating more than $18,000 for Sandy Schrage at a cookie jar auction and pulled pork dinner. There were plenty of other items up for bids along with the jars, and the money raised will go to help defray medical costs and living expenses....

  • Bobcats see tough loss at Burlington

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    It was a close game for the Bobcats last Saturday, though Burlington came up with the 31-29 win when the final buzzer sounded. Coach Shane Corpening said this was a tough game for the boys, though they showed improvement on defense. He noted they are still struggling to rebound and keep the opposing team to one possession, though they got better this game and he was pleased to see they kept Burlington to 31 points. “Really what it was,” Corpening said, “is the shots just weren’t falling...

  • New staff at Head Start Preschool

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 20, 2018

    The Thermopolis Head Start center has been busy this year, welcoming new staff members including teacher Jill Van Heule, teacher aide John Martinez and cook Laura Dockter. These three share a love for children and roots in the community. Dockter said she was becoming bored with retirement and the job was open. Van Heule said her husband has lived in this community for 16 years and supported the program, and the two want to raise their children in the county. Martinez started in February as the...

  • Drug bust results in several felony charges

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 13, 2018

    Two hearings have been scheduled in Hot Springs Circuit Court in regard to a drug bust on Nov. 24. Raymond L. Norcutt Jr. of Casper, who attended Hot Springs County High School in the early 2000s, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 21 on 11 felony charges including six counts of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, one count of possession of meth and four counts of possession with intent to deliver various substances including oxycodone, methadone hydrochloride,...

  • Dance moves

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 13, 2018

    Dancers Myia Medina, Hannah Lippincott, Anna Gunderson, Kaylee Bazzle and Maile McCumber bring some hip-hop moves to the Hot Springs Dance LLC's production of The Nutcracker. This year was the Christmas recital, with more than 100 dancers from Thermopolis and Worland performing....

  • Two named WCA Coaches of the Year

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 13, 2018

    The Wyoming Coaches Association recently named Thermopolis cross country coach Stephanie Metz and golf coach Joey Johnson as Coaches of the Year for the 2018 fall sports season. This is Metz's sixth year with Hot Springs County School District No. 1, and she was an assistant swim coach before moving to Wyoming. She taught third grade her first year in the district, and during the past five years she has been teaching eigth grade math. One of the years she taught seventh and eighth grade math....

  • Town audit shows positive changes

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Dec 13, 2018

    At their Nov. 29 meeting, Thermopolis Town Council approved the audit of the financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, with much appreciation for the time and work Koerwitz, Michel, Wright and Associates put into preparing it. Among the highlights listed in the audit, the town exceeded its liabilities at June 30, 2018 by $28,567,974 (net position), compared to $27,705,536 in 2017. Of that, $7,463,589 can be used to meet the government’s ongoing obligations to citizens and c...

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