Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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Most parents recall this prototypical Christmas morning scene, when the youngest offspring clumsily ripped open a large gift box, that was carefully selected and tediously wrapped with care. Staring at the contents, momentarily, but quickly casting the gift aside, now content to play with the cardboard box for hours. It seems to be a long standing tradition with the under four crowd-content with cardboard. Try that on a eight year old. Fast forward to 2021, our nation has, as far-fetched as it sounds, been snookered into being content, once...
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, State Superintendent of Schools Jillian Balow, Sen. John Barrasso, Sen. Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Liz Cheney all seem to agree on at least one thing, the Biden Administration’s 60-day suspension of all federal leases and permits to drill on federal land will be devastating for Wyoming’s economy and people. They are calling the move a strike on the heart of Wyoming jobs, families and communities. Wyoming and other western states have oil and gas lease sales scheduled. Several of these lease sales will be held in the...
The following was set to Senator John Barrasso and was also submitted as a letter to the editor to the Independent Record. Dear Honorable John Barrasso, Thank you for taking the time to explain your position on the Electoral College results. I, like a huge percent of the people in Wyoming, think this was a stolen Election Big Time. President Trump got more done to help businesses and the whole country in three years than any other President in my lifetime…without much help or cooperation from either side of the aisle. He should have won by a l...
Welcome to the financial future you have voted for, my liberal friends! The National Debt is 27.8 Trillion dollars as of 1 P.M. 1-21-2021. That is $222,191.00 per tax payer. The U.S. GDP was estimated to be 21.3 trillion in 2020, the latest figure available. The debt is now 6.5 trillion dollars more the than the entire economic output of the country, and will only grow with increased job and business losses. The Treasury Department and the Fed are still practicing “ Quantitative Easing,” with interest rates below 1%. The Fed is buying Tre...
The editor of this paper felt like she heard a collective gasp last week as people read a letter to the editor on this page of the January 14 edition titled “Take down the Trump flags.” There has been a long standing letter to the editor policy at the Independent Record that allowed for strong censorship of the type of letters that were accepted for print on this page. Upon review of that policy at the beginning of 2021, a decision was made by the editor to allow for more open discussion on a larger variety of topics. Calling out elected off...
WE THE PEOPLE have been abandoned by our elected representatives. It matters not which side of the political aisle your ideals fall; we can all agree that our elected public servants should represent the views of their constituents. A public servant is just that, a servant. They are employed by us. Change in the political sphere can only be obtained by starting at the local level. Its high time our representatives are held accountable by us. When we try to contact our public servants they are obligated, by job description, to respond. They...
I too was upset to see what transpired on January 6th in our Nations Capital. In my heart I decided to take down my Trump 2020 flag from my house. Not because I blame the President for what transpired, but because it is right to be respectful of all in authority, even when I disagree with them. So I took my Trump flag down, understanding soon it was going to be President Biden. Upon reading the Letter to the Editor in last week’s Independent Record, “Take down the Trump flags” I have put my Trump flag back up, and here is why. This is what...
This is an open letter to the Wyoming State Legislature, on behalf of the people of Wyoming. Legislators, please contact your counterparts in South Dakota to see if they would be interested in a trade. We have one useless governor, two swamp-rat senators, and one turncoat representative; could we trade all these for Kristy Noem? We would be willing to sweeten the deal, if necessary, by throwing in a closed coal mine and several dozen capped oil wells. Warmest Regards, Bo Bowman Worland, WY...
Fly your Trump flag, wear your Trump caps, fly the American flag Never give up, freedom is not FREE. As usual it is the ploy of the liberal Democrats to blame the conservatives for everything the Democrats are doing. We will fly our Chinese made Trump flags rather than allow a communist Chinese bought and paid for Joe Biden to govern us. Dave and Cindy L. Denton...
This editorial ran in the Jan. 17 edition of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, If anyone ever gets bored enough to write a history of the 65th Wyoming Legislature, one word that would never appear in it is “bold.” In fact, you probably have to go back more than 50 years to find an action taken by state lawmakers that anyone would consider bold. And even then, it was a proposal from the executive branch, led by Republican Gov. Stan Hathaway, who, in 1968, proposed a bill to institute a severance tax on mineral extraction in the state. That bill passed...
It has been a week and many are still trying to wrap their minds around what happened at our Nation’s Capitol January 6. For some it clearly marks the definition between “us” and “them”, while for others it shows, in glaring clarity, that our country must come together to heal what was becoming an ever-widening rift. Men scaled the walls of one of our most beloved institutions, while onlookers wondered who they were, which side they were on, and wondered what was going to happen next as reporters relayed whatever information they had at that mo...
The failed coup at the US Capitol last Wednesday was a wake-up call for all of us. People can have differences of political opinion - and those differences are usually good. Our individual perspectives force us to take stock of our positions and argue until we find the best possible solution for the country as a whole. Unfortunately, these past four years have been so filled with lies and disinformation, we have descended into political madness. Chinese-made Trump flags are ubiquitous, and his supporters have been passionate in their loyalty to...
Humans love to shame and blame others in the best of times, but bring on a public health crisis and it turns hard core. Add the speed and reach of social media and now the toxicity has reached all new heights. Some people shame when they feel threatened by something. They need an explanation, and they find a scapegoat. It helps them reaffirm their thinking and make sense of what’s happening. Through social media, everyone has a voice and feels justified to use their voice in often harsh, hateful ways. Things are said through a keyboard that w...
Ryan McConnaughey’s guest column on behalf of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming presents the daunting challenges facing Wyoming and other land grant states. As a native of the state owing much of my existence to the petroleum industry, I am sympathetic to those concerns. I would however present certain cautions. Those cautions relate to the political questions that are raised. Whether or not one believes in global warming, the political momentum is in the direction of reduction of fossil fuel use. More intense storms, floods, wildfire threat...
All too common in conversation it has been spoken that 2020 was the hardest year our nation and state have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues. Finding hope has been a great challenge for most. In Hot Springs County, our residents have been hit very hard. There have been job losses, business failures, divorces, suicides and other very challenging situations. However, the community of Thermopolis has been working hard to bring support to its residents. First responders, fr...
The challenges and uncertainty of this past year have made many of us look forward to the New Year like we have never before. We are ready to turn the page and head into 2021. It has been a stressful year for most of us with all that has been asked of us and all the adaptation we have had to do. It’s a popular practice to set New Year’s resolutions. Sticking to those resolutions is often tricky and stressful. The disappointment and stress of not sticking to our resolutions can be counterproductive, even in the best of times. Given the dif...
The $900 Billion so-called stimulus bill has now passed and been signed into law. I would have recommended that President Trump veto it, however, there are enough votes in the Congress to override a veto, and shutting down the government is not an option. I am so proud of the Wyoming delegation, all of whom voted for this 5,593 page of pork laden garbage, which none of them have read. “We had to vote for the bill to find out what is in it.” $135 million to Burma, $85.5 million to Cambodia, $1.4 billion for “Asia Reassurance initiative Act, $130...
This Christmas, along with the upcoming New Year, is almost certain to be unlike any before. Physical distancing and public health orders have changed how many plan to celebrate. Along with the regular stressors of the season, many are dealing with additional stress due to the fall out from COVID-19. In August of this year, a Wyoming-based suicide prevention lifeline became available which will strengthen the response available for state residents who find themselves in crisis, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). “If you, or so...
by Ryan McConnaughey Petroleum Association of Wyoming A ban on oil and natural gas development on public lands by the U.S. President-elect would severely harm the economies of eight western states, according to a Wyoming Energy Authority study conducted by University of Wyoming Professor Tim Considine. Over the next four years, the human cost of fulfilling the campaign pledge would be an average of 72,818 fewer jobs annually. Lost wages would total $19.6 billion, economic activity would decline $43.8 billion, and tax revenues would drop $10.8...
A list of businesses receiving CARES Act COVID-19 business relief in Thermopolis and other towns around the state of Wyoming relief is available to the public. The Independent Record has been contacted by members of the public who are questioning the legitimacy of businesses who received the funds and their amounts. The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) is putting several measures in place to mitigate and manage against fraudulent claims. As part of those measures, select businesses that received funds through five grant programs will be audited....
CyberWyoming provides weekly information on scams circulating around Wyoming. Global IT Phone Scam: A Sheridan citizen reported a phone scam from a company claiming to be Global IT. The scam said that her account or “plastic” would be charged $399.99 unless she called the scammer’s number (504.384.2108). CyberWyoming Note: Global IT is a real company in Los Angeles, but they help businesses in financial, pharmaceutical and telecom industries and were being impersonated. COVID-19 Best Wishes Lead to Scam: A Casper citizen reported a scam from...
The changes we’ve experienced this year have affected everything and that includes how the school Christmas programs are going to be presented this year. In following the restrictions placed on the state by Governor Mark Gordon, the number of people who are going to be allowed in the auditorium for the various concerts is going to less than normal. Parents will be receiving wristbands for their families they must wear to gain entrance to the performances. That means that the general public will not be seeing the little ones’ band or choir pro...
During these uncertain times with the pandemic, it has become necessary for guidelines to be put into place for all our safety. These are in effect at our schools and athletic programs. I would like to address an incident that occurred at a recent girls’ junior high basketball game. The athletic director read the restrictions and regulations set forth by the Wyoming High School Activates Association. These regulations were repeated several times, as one parent felt these rules did not apply to them. Because of this the game was delayed. I h...
For the 24th year, Community Christmas Baskets of food are available for those in need. Individuals or families may sign up by call the H.O.P.E Agency at 864-4673 or Public Health at 864-3311. You need to sign up by Monday, December 7. Curbside pickup or delivery will be on Saturday, December 19 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Donations are still being accepted and may be dropped off at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at the corner of Seventh and Arapahoe. For added convenience, this weekend a trailer will be set up in front of Hazel n Pears where food...
This Thanksgiving in Thermopolis we have a great deal to be thankful for. Beyond the natural beauty, clean air, our river and space to breathe and slow down, we have great people. Thanks to all the parents who shared their beautiful kids with us on Halloween. Those faces at the door were delightful and bring such memories. Thanks to the school teachers and staff who work so hard for those kids. Thanks to our local workers who always help and smile. Thanks to everyone at the Senior Center and our brave police. Thanks to our town workers and...
