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  • Town, commission nominees speak

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Oct 13, 2016

    During the Meet the Candidates forum Thursday evening, Thermopolis residents got to hear from those running for state races, as well as local seats. Phillip Scheel is running unopposed for County Commissioner. He expressed his appreciation for the votes in the primary, joking that a Mickey Mouse write-in campaign might still knock him out. Though he’s not involved in a contested race, Scheel still took the opportunity to visit with people at the forum, stating he was in favor of the hospital d...

  • Lodging tax will be on November ballot

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Oct 13, 2016

    Greg Willson of the Lodging Tax PAC spoke at the candidate forum for the renewal of the lodging tax Willson explained the lodging tax is a four percent surtax on every room, campsite and bed and breakfast. “Basically if you stay overnight for less than 30 days in Hot Springs County, you’re going to pay a four percent lodging tax.” The money generated by the tax is sent to Cheyenne, collected and then returned to the county. At that point, Willson said, the Lodging Tax Joint Powers Board distr...

  • Candidates speak on several district positions

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Oct 13, 2016

    Among the local races under contention is a four-year seat on the Hot Springs County Fire District, and Linda Cowger and Ken Smith have thrown in their names for it. Cowger described herself as an “oil field brat,” her family having moved around quite a bit. Though she completed high school in Montana, she returned to Thermopolis and attended the Technical College of the Rockies. With her marriage to her husband, Jim, she began at 40-plus year long relationship with the fire department. “Th...

  • Basse discusses Amendment A

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Oct 13, 2016

    Along with the local races, voters will be making decisions with regard to state and national races and issues. Brad Basse spoke at Thursday’s candidate forum with regard to Amendment A, which will also be on the ballot in November. Prior to his presentation, moderator Cindy Glasson read the legal jargon associated with the amendment. Currently, Glasson read, the Wyoming Constitution allows Legislature to authorize investment of employee retirement system funds and permanent state funds in equit...

  • Absentee voting now open

    Cindy Glasson, Reporter & Photographer|Oct 6, 2016

    Absentee ballots are now available from the County Clerk’s office in the Hot Springs County Courthouse. In order to use an absentee ballot, you first must be registered to vote. You may go to the courthouse to request the absentee ballot or call the office to request it be mailed to your residence. If you go to the courthouse to request the ballot, you may vote at that time. If you ask to have it mailed to your home, you must return the ballot to the clerk’s office by election day, Nov. 8. Abs...

  • Seventeen file for five hospital district seats

    Cindy Glasson, Reporter & Photographer|Sep 22, 2016

    Seventeen candidates have tossed their hats in the ring to fill just five positions for the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital District Directors, to be elected upon district formation approval in the general election . Two positions are open to fill four-year terms. Those candidates include Bill Williams, Dean Stone, Joseph Casciato, Bradyn Harvey, David Koerwitz, Josh Conrad, Allan Braaten and Jim Wilson. Three positions are open for two-year terms. Candidates listed for the November ballot... Full story

  • Seven file for school board

    April S. Kelley, Reporter & Photographer|Sep 1, 2016

    Hot Springs County Clerk Nina Webber released the names of several individuals running for board positions. Seven will be running for the four open trustee positions for the Hot Springs County School District. Those elected will serve four-year terms. Vying for the board positions are Nichole Weyer, Clay Van Antwerp, Beth Lewis, Joe Martinez, Nikki Slagle, W. Travis Bomengen and Tonya L. Petty. The Hot Springs Rural Fire Protection District has an opening for a district director to serve a four-...

  • Vote in the primary election Aug. 16

    April S. Kelley, Reporter & Photographer|Aug 11, 2016

    One candidate out of the five running on the Republican ticket for Hot Springs County Commissioner will advance to the general election in November. There are no Democrats running so the new commissioner will be decided Tuesday in the primary unless a successful write-in candidate were to enter the race in the general. Five men are running for the open commissioner seat vacated by Brad Basse. Joseph Casciato Joseph Casciato said he believes he is the best candidate because he is the common sense...

  • Lewis runs unopposed for town council seat

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Aug 11, 2016

    Three names will be on the ballot for four-year terms on the Town Councils for Thermopolis and East Thermopolis. Dusty Lewis, who is running unopposed for the Thermopolis Town Council seat, said he grew up in Wyoming, farm-raised in the Big Horn Basin. In 2005, he joined the team at Gottsche Rehabilitation, where he still works today. Lewis said he loves Thermopolis, as it is a great place with great potential. One of the big issues facing the community, of course, is the recent economic...

  • Four running for State Senate District 20

    April S. Kelley|Aug 11, 2016

    Three Republicans and one Democrat are running in the primary for the Wyoming State Senate District 20 seat vacated by Sen. Gerald Geis who did not seek re-election. One Republican candidate and the Democratic candidate will advance to the general election in November. Wyatt Agar Republican Wyatt Agar, a local rancher and businessman, said he is running to protect constitutional, individual and private property rights. "At a time when the very foundations of our livelihood and lifestyle in...

  • Twelve candidates on congressional ballot

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Aug 11, 2016

    Among the candidates whose names will be on the ballot for the congressional representative for Wyoming are: Heath Beaudry, Liz Cheney, Leleand Christensen, Mike Konsmo, Paul Paad, Jason Adam Senteny, Darin Smith and Tim Stubson for the Republican Party. Evanston resident Beaudry believes he can relate to the working class as an average person. He plans to advocate for the state in term of the energy industry, management of public lands, freedom of the press and the Second Amendment. A personal...

  • Precinct committee positions open

    April S. Kelley, Reporter & Photographer|Aug 11, 2016

    Several precinct committeemen and committeewomen are included on the 2016 Primary Ballot. Running for Republican precinct committeemen and committeewomen are Jerry D. Williams (precinct 1-1), Joshua P. Brown (precinct 1-1), Ellen Galyan (precinct 1-1), Charles Curley (precinct 1-2), Benjamin W. Shidler (precinct 1-2), Toni Casciato (precinct 1-2), Kevin Dickey (precinct 2-4), John Baird (precinct 3-3), Jim Collins (precinct 3-3), Jamie George (precinct 3-3) and Patty O’Brien (precinct 3-3). W...

  • Two on the ticket for District 28

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Aug 11, 2016

    Two candidates are on the primary ballot for the Wyoming State Representative of House District 28 - Nathan Winters and Howard Samelson. Both will advance to the general election in November. Republican candidate Winters, who has served as State Representative the past four years, stated he has worked to preserve a sound budget and stand for the principles he outlined in 2012 - upholding Constitutions of the U.S. and Wyoming, limiting government, working toward a business-friendly environment,...

  • Candidates questioned at forum

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Aug 4, 2016

    Monday evening, the Thermopolis Middle School Commons became a venue for people to visit with people they will be voting on in the coming election. All candidates were allowed two minutes to introduce themselves, and two minutes to respond to the questions largely put together by Farm Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. First up were candidates for House District 28, Nathan Winters and Howard Samelson. The candidates were asked what the biggest two challenges are in the district, and how to...

  • Drafted for the legislature and the convention

    Tom Mullen|Jul 21, 2016

    Trepidation. "It has crossed my mind," Nathan Winters told the Independent Record from the floor of the Republican Convention in Cleveland on Monday. Winters is one of three Hot Springs men to serve as national delegates this week and in the run up to politic's biggest event in decades, he's heard a lot of talk about the potential for violence in the streets. But the First Baptist Church Minister and House District 28 Representative took a thoughtful pause to find the words. "The thing is, that...

  • Jane Norskog joins senate race

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Jul 21, 2016

    Among those on the ballot for the State Senate, 20th District, is Wyoming native Jane Norskog, who said she’s always been politically active behind the scenes since the days of Jimmy Carter, and was a Young Democrat in high school and in college. In addition to helping with several elections, Norskog also was chosen as a federal grand jurist, and over 18 months heard 300 cases and helped decide whether there was enough evidence in each to go to trial. During that time, she said, she got some f...

  • Exciting week for Jim Collins

    Tom Mullen|Jul 21, 2016

    When State Committeeman and Delegate to the GOP National Convention Jim Collins broke away to speak with the Independent Record, a little trouble was brewing on the convention floor. "I think it's been quite exciting. They've been having a rules fight and they need, I think six or seven states to have a majority sign-off, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the Party handles adversity." It was his first day as a delegate and within an hour the final push to change the rules had failed. After a...

  • Party secretary: best votes are local votes

    Jul 21, 2016

    Party secretary: best votes are local votesCharles Curley is working the GOP National Convention as a delegate this week in Cleveland and while he hopes he makes his county proud, the best political work, he said, is done at home. "The most important people to vote for are those closest to you: the town council, the county commissioners and then the state legislature," he told the Independent Record in an interview on the floor of the convention center, "the federal government can create...

  • Howie Samelson running for House District 28 seat

    April S. Kelley, Reporter and Photographer|Jun 9, 2016

    Democrat Howard "Howie" Samelson is running against Republican Nathan Winters for Wyoming State Representative for House District 28. Samelson said the most important issues for his campaign are individual freedoms, public lands staying public, local institutions being locally managed and developing economic diversification - meaning figuring out what the state can do to get away from fossil fuels. "We need to develop alternatives in the state for economic development, which include things like...

  • Wyoming state congressional candidates visit Thermopolis

    April S. Kelley, Reporter and Photographer|Apr 14, 2016

    Born and raised in Rock Springs, Ryan Greene is running as the only Democratic candidate for United States Congress in Wyoming. Greene has 18 years of experience working in Wyoming's energy industry through his family's business, Greene's Energy Group. Wyoming energy is one of Greene's most important political platforms and he hopes to see some changes in the upcoming election, he said. "Wyoming's got the same problems that we've had since I've been alive," he said. "We've got a boom-and-bust...

  • Wyoming state congressional candidates visit Thermopolis

    Mark Dykes, Assistant Editor|Apr 14, 2016

    Republican Congressional candidate Rex Rammell has made the reclamation of Wyoming's public lands and natural resources his primary focus. To that end, he plans to contest the constitutional jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It's not Rammell's first foray into politics, as it's been a part of his life for 20 years. He grew up on the Wyoming/Idaho line, in the small town of Teton Valley....

  • Ted Cruz wins the Hot Springs County National Delegate

    Mar 17, 2016

    Ted Cruz won the Hot Springs County Republican Party National Delegate at the county convention Saturday. Jim Collins will represent HSC at the National Convention. Wyatt Agar and Kevin Dickey were elected to attend the Wyoming State Convention. Alternates include: Patty O’Brien, Benge Brown, Charles Curley, Jamie George and Michael Gear. They will join three others from Hot Springs County who will attend including party chairman Chuck Carver, state committeeman Jim Collins and state committeewoman Toni Casciato....