Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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by Sam Shumway State Director, AARP Wyoming In the year 2019, AARP’s FraudWatch Network reported 24 percent of all scam calls reported in Wyoming fell under the “Imposter scams,” category. That is, one which a caller pretends to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or some other governmental agency demanding, and often times receiving, immediate payment. The results were $2.3 million in losses to Wyoming citizens. We know scammers look to capitalize on the news of the moment, especially if the headlines can instill fear and m...
Coach Don Simpson was a coach for the Thermopolis Boxing Club. I had two sons in the club and a 5-year-old daughter who never missed a practice. Thermopolis Boxing Club was hosting a smoker (boxing event). My oldest son was matched up with a much more experienced boxer and he is taking quite a whip-n. I, the mother, am yelling “throw in the towel”, which would stop the fight. And you could hear me yelling clear into Washakie County. But Coach knew my son wasn’t a quitter and knew if he threw in the towel it would just embarrass my son. My son m...
The following was sent to Governor Mark Gordon and also shared with the Thermopolis Independent Record as a letter to the editor. Dear Governor Gordon, I am writing to compliment you for declaring Friday, April 10 (which was also Good Friday) as a Day of Prayer for Wyoming residents. I understand that you were quickly confronted by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRP) for making this proclamation. Sadly, such backlash is inevitable these days. As Governor of this state, you have a duty to lead its people through difficult times. The c...
So many scams circulate every year trying to rob citizens of their money. Now, there are some trying to get their hands on your economic impact payments. The Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is now warning Wyoming taxpayers to be alert about possible scams relating to COVID-19 economic impact payments. Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Denver Field Office, made the announcement Thursday in an effort to prevent taxpayers in need from being victimized by criminals using the recently approved payments as...
Without a doubt we are living in a very strange time in our country right now. Many are essentially barricaded behind their front doors while others are considered essential, working their way through each day. Those essential workers are faced with being exposed to more than just a deadly virus. Some are being yelled at because a certain item is not on the store shelf. It isn’t up to them what does and does not get delivered on a particular day, but some are taking their frustrations out on the person behind the cash register. Some are g...
by Peter Wagner One of the reporters in our Sheldon office received an e-mail a week ago stating his child was no longer qualified to be taken care of by the local day-care facility. The e-mail came on Friday and the change went into effect on Monday. Never mind that the reporter’s spouse works at the local hospital and 4-month-old has been in the care of the facility since January. The care facility, the e-mail said, “will begin to restrict care only to those families that meet the state qualification of an essential function in the wor...
Many businesses in local communities have been forced to shut down abruptly without having time to think about their mail delivery. Typically, a local post office will hold mail for 10 days before beginning to return it to the senders. On March 28, USPS issued a new emergency policy. The delivery office will now hold mail for 30 days, giving local business owners an opportunity to contact postmasters and make arrangements for the delivery of their mail. Once the business reopens, delivery should immediately resume unless other arrangements...
Something occurred last week which received little, if any, notice amidst the ever growing concern of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). March 15 through 21 was National Sunshine Week, which celebrates open government and citizens’ access to public records, documents, actions and deliberations. Wyoming has Public Documents and Open Meeting Acts that were adopted in 2005 to ensure open government. It is troubling that during the week which celebrates open government, provisions are being considered that could limit the public’s acc...
With all of the doom and gloom we’re experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic I thought a few facts or funnies about toilet paper might be a bit of relief. According to Modern Survival, the average person uses one roll of toilet paper per week. That would mean a family of four would go through four rolls each week. So, with a two-week quarantine, that would add up to eight rolls of toilet paper. Seriously, why do you think you now need 96 rolls? About 70% of the world’s population does not use...
by Ken Paulson As the scope and threat of the coronavirus pandemic becomes clear, people all over the world hunger for two things: an effective vaccine and truthful information about the disease. The former may be more than a year away, but the latter is critical to stemming the pandemic in the meantime. This is Sunshine Week, a time each year when people like me write columns about some legislature’s wrong-headed move to limit access to public records, and then try to make the case for greater access to public information and transparency i...
by Leo Wolfson Cody Enterprise Via Wyoming News Exchange CODY — With the onslaught of media coverage the COVID-19 pandemic has been garnering the last few weeks, it’s easy to become mentally distraught if not at least fatigued. Mental health experts say finding an escape from the informational barrage is critical to maintaining a healthy state. Yellowstone Behavioral Health and Cody Regional Health have some suggestions on ways to keep your head above water during this turbulent state. One of the most impactful steps people can take is lim...
It may seem that our cousins in the big cities are over-reacting but a time of crisis generally brings out the best in people who live in small communities. While some of our neighbors may be excessively worried, the level-headed will continue to do, what they can do, with the resources they have. This is a time for generosity and leadership and almost everyone can help. Start by taking notes. Create a list of your neighbors, their telephone numbers and addresses. If they don’t want your help, that’s fine, there are plenty of people who will ap...
For nearly fifteen years, I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to be involved with the HSCHS wrestling program from being a fan, volunteer coach, and contributor for the local IR. In all of those functions, I have met a goodly number of parents, coaches, wrestlers, students, and journalists that have been such a blessing. Last year saw the end of my time to have any coaching or daily contact with the team; this year is the last year for me to write of the successes and yes, the failures, of the program and its participants. I would like to t...
Your local Public Health and the Hot Springs County Prevention Coalition have been busy. Who are these people and what have they been up to? Prevention takes a community effort and the coalition is working together to bring health, wellness and positive change to our community. You may be familiar with our local Public Health office, but did you know they work closely with the Hot Springs County Prevention Coalition? Your local prevention coalition is a community group made up from different agencies as well as individual community members....
We live in an instant gratification society. Hungry? Just shout your order into a little box from your car and five minutes later you magically have a burger, fries and hot apple pie coming through your window. Need new shoes? A prom dress? All it takes is two days to get just about anything you could possibly want, delivered to your doorstep. That’s probably why it’s so hard for us to have patience, to wait for the good things to happen. The great things happening for Hot Springs State Park is a perfect example of waiting for those good thi...
This letter is to ask for your cooperation in helping the Wyoming Pioneer Home Residents stay healthy during this virus season. Unfortunately, seniors are the hardest hit by viruses so at this time, we are currently implementing a low level visitor restriction policy. If you have been exposed to any type of virus, we ask that you not visit or enter the WPH until 14 days have passed since your last symptoms. The 3 viruses that the Wyoming Pioneer Home would like to prevent from entering our building are as follows: The Coronavirus. At this time...
On the front page of this issue of the Independent Record you will find stories about what your town and county government are doing. All the business government does is your business. It is your right to know their decisions and expenditures. We believe it is your money they are working with. Our government can only be by and for the people when it is out in front of people. We are the government and the government is us. The powers held by federal, state and local government are the powers we give. At the IR, we take our job seriously and...
“Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where them flowers is?” – Grandma I may be just the teensiest bit early to quote my grandmother as it’s just the first week in March, but I’m already looking at seed catalogs and planning the layout for my garden. I’m truly not the greatest at getting things to grow, but I’m going to keep trying until I get it just right. Disappointment for my spring flowers started early, with me ordering bulbs to plant this fall. They arrived and three days la...
This is the time of year when many students are playing their last basketball games or putting their all into the wrestling mat for the final time or even making the last speech of their high school careers. Most will not go on to participate in sports on the college level so these last moments are often bittersweet. Friday night marks Senior Night for both boys and girls basketball teams, the last night they have to wear the purple and gold on their home court. Come out and support your Bobcats this weekend. The Lady Cats have their last home...
“Whoops, I made a mistake!” This is not something you want to hear from your doctor - or your attorney. “Do no harm” should be the motto for both professions. When a doctor nicks an artery, he is held accountable for making a serious error. Attorneys, though, keep on practicing without repercussions or sanctions. The Wyoming Supreme Court overthrew the case of the Casper businessman because of a mistake in the lower court. Someone did not double check the language of the law, and zealously went ahead and charged the man. We will never know wh...
The legislative attempt to study tolling along Interstate 80 failed its first test, as the state Senate rejected a bill that supports said would help the state meet its road maintenance and repair needs. Senate File 6 failed by and 18-11 vote, with one Senator absent. The bill would have needed 20 votes, or two-thirds of the body, to be introduced. The state is facing immediate infrastructure need. It would have taken nearly a decade to set up a tolling program. After the bill was passed out of committee, groups came out against the plan...
Over the next several weeks, the Thermopolis Independent Record will be highlighting what is happening during this session of the Wyoming State Legislature. Senator Wyatt Agar and Representative John Winter will be in contact with us to give their opinion on the various bills that will be coming up for consideration in the house and the senate. As this is a budget session there will be a number of bills regarding school funding, taxes and salaries along with some of the usual fare of wildlife, tourism and land issues. We are also going to be...
After an unseasonably warm weekend, with temperatures hitting the mid 50s, Mother Nature proved the old saying of “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes,” to be highly accurate. Although there may have been very few, if any, who didn’t like the beautiful weather over the weekend, it sure took a drastic change come Sunday evening. A strong winter storm settled in over Thermopolis and across much of Wyoming dumping nearly a foot of snow in many places and closing roads, schools and businesses. Locally, we were lucky all roads around...
Joe Moon was born and raised in Sterling, Colo., and became interested in art at an early age. In the 2nd grade he won first place in a city wide art show among elementary students. He considers himself a self taught artist because he has not received much formal training. He has became a better artist, by learning through other great artists and receiving critique from other people. Moon does not have a particular favorite medium because he likes to try a little bit of everything. Moon and his family, which includes his wife Rachel and six chi...
Where did January go? Oh wait, it’s buried under about a foot of snow. We really have been lucky this winter with just a couple of brief storms before Christmas and a virtually dry January. We should have seen this coming. This is the kind of snow I remember as a kid growing up here, though. It seemed like we had lots of the white stuff from Thanksgiving til sometime in March, leaving us kids with plenty of weekends to sled and lots of opportunities to toss on our skates and come home with bruis...
