Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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I was thinking about what a gift it was to be loved and accepted in spite of my many faults (according to my nest friends) as I neared my eighth decade on this planet, and the many times I had been called on to listen and counsel with those who were having severe problems with those who should have been the closest and dearest. Then I chided myself on the nearly 20 years of no contact with my own brother. I can not really remember why there was such an estrangement, but I realize now how easy it was to blame him for whatever the cause was, and...
People differ greatly in their willingness to take risks and an individual may be more apt to take risks at certain times of their lives than others. Taking intelligent risks are sometimes necessary in the pursuit of life goals. When we take risks we open ourselves up to a number of possible outcomes, some of which may not be desirable. However, stretching your comfort zone and exposing yourself to uncertainty can also be one of the best things a person can do for their future. Both personal and professional risks can be hard but the rewards...
So far, the weather we’ve had this winter has been right in line with the Old Farmer’s Almanac – dry and cold. Apparently next week it’s going to get even colder, like below zero colder. I don’t know about the rest of you, but as I get older I get colder, faster. You would think with the extra insulation I carry with me I’d be fine, but even at the office I have a space heater running under my desk nearly all day. When I travel on the school bus with the speech and debate team I find myself...
We have a new month, a new year and a new decade happening all at the same time, which leaves plenty of room for pondering what the past 3,650 days have left us with. There have been two royal weddings, royal babies and the end of Harry Potter. We have seen countless hours of Game of Thrones and watched wildfires rage across California. For many, the laughter died the day we lost Robin Williams and Steve Jobs left behind an Apple legacy that has laid the groundwork for amazing advances in so many areas. We watched a football powerhouse brought...
The “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is more often than not followed by the “I Can’t Stand Reality” post-holiday blues. Family has gone home along with all the excitement and anticipation of the holidays, the cheerful laughter and the plate after plate of yummy goodies. Many people suffer from post-holiday blues, that crash that can leave you feeling tired, under the weather and depressed. Psychologists say these blues are quite common, but they aren’t serious depression that could warrant medications. Instead, its irritability, difficulty...
Few things in life are as important to our overall happiness as gratitude. When you are thankful for what you have, you tend to be happier, healthier and you experience a deep sense of peace and well being. Many find it easy to be grateful when life is going good but struggle when facing challenging situations and disappointments. Our minds are inclined to focus on what's going wrong instead of what's going right. We often do not appreciate the value of what we have and take it for granted. That can cause a state of dissatisfaction even when...
When we think about the sights and smells of the holidays many think about lights or Christmas trees, maybe peppermint or the smell of the turkey roasting in the oven. For me, though, it will always be the sight of my grandmother making popcorn balls, filled cookies and a mass of different candies for weeks leading up to the big day. Popcorn balls these days don’t interest me because they’re so sweet. My grandmother’s recipe had vinegar in it. Yes, vinegar. For some reason it made them not s...
Are you prepared for winter driving? Some of the basic ways to be prepared include installing winter windshield wiper blades, and checking headlights and tire pressure. When driving on ice, accelerate slowly -- pretend that an egg is sitting under your gas pedal. To stop on the ice, remove your foot slowly from the gas pedal. If your vehicle is equipped with ABS brakes, step on your brakes when slowing. The braking system will help you stop on icy roads. Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance professionals, who work on our roadways...
Here at the Independent Record we hear a lot of rumors. While some of those rumors are about people about town, the most frequent ones we hear are about our local businesses and what they are ‘supposedly’ up to. Without a doubt, we always check on the veracity of the rumors and more often than not we discover that the rumors we hear are just that – rumors, with no basis in reality. Rumors can, in fact, have a devastating effect on a business. Rumors about how a business is run, the business owner and even the employees can cost a busin...
One of the great mysteries of all time is the civility of people during the month of December. It almost seems that everyone really thinks Santa does keep a list, or that if not Santa, one titled the Prince of Peace surely does. Whatever the reason, there’s an obvious lessening of tensions amongst those with grudges to lay them aside if for only a bit. Hence, the question: Why for one month of the year do people of “good will” appear to urge their fellow humans to follow their best instincts and reach out to those they often ignore the rest...
Its just about that time of year when I drag the tree from the basement, attach the lights and the pretty decorations and then sit back and watch the kitties dismantle the entire thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love those little furballs. In fact, over the years I’ve shot some pretty adorable photos of them poking their heads out from between the branches, playing with the shiny balls or just staring intently at the bright lights. All of my decorations are, of course, shatterproof since they spe...
Our Bobcats are returning, but now hitting the hardwood, they have somewhat of a challenging schedule ahead. When questioned about my thoughts as to the Bobcats chances of a winning basketball season, I view the coach as playing it all close to the vest. A few of the first freshman games may be used as “scouting games.” We will definitely not know until the week’s end at TMS games and HS games. Bobcats must stay focused and do what they do BEST...condition, mindset and most importantly, be a TEAM! I feel the freshman and JV games have the p...
Well, it’s been a year since the people of Hot Springs County elected me as a trustee to the school board. It has been an interesting learning experience. I have been forced to rethink much of the platform I ran on. I still feel like an outsider but things are getting better. I still would like to see exit interviews sent out to all staff regardless of previous position or how they left the District. I would also still like to see some kind of video recording of the board meetings. Nothing fancy though. I would also like to see each school w...
“A day which will live in infamy.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii, crippling or destroying nearly 20 American ships and 300 airplanes. The human affect was the loss of 2,403 sailors, soldiers and civilians along with 1,178 wounded. To this day, the USS Arizona and the USS Utah lie at the bottom of the narrow harbor, a reminder of the events that pulled the United States into WWII. Many have personal stories of relatives who served in WWII. Once such story involves the u...
Council didn’t let people decide The Thermopolis Town Council did not say “no to chickens,” they said no to letting the people decide. Two town councilmen chose not to second a motion made by a third town council member to bring it to a draft and first reading along with public meeting. In the recent town council meeting, 127 signatures were presented. Out of those 112 were deemed valid. The Mayor then read one letter from one individual that was adamant about no chickens. The councilman who made the motion asked how many signatures were on tha...
The recent visit by Senator Ogden Driskill made one thing perfectly clear. The Wyoming Legislature is now prepared to step in and make sure Hot Springs State Park thrives. Driskill’s main objective is to make Hot Springs State Park the best park in the state and he’s willing to work with the community in order to get the job done. While he said he wants us to ‘think big’, it doesn’t necessarily mean the loss of a hotel or a pool in the park. The pieces are now all in place for upgrades, whether it’s by the current owners or another entity that...
While not scientific by any means, the question was recently asked, “What would you like to see go into the former Shopko building?” There were some interesting answers like a roller rink, an outdoor retail outlet, a laser tag arena and even a lumber yard/agricultural combo with things like appliances or a paintball arena. Realistically though, most of the answers were for things like a store similar to Shopko with household items, clothing, shoes and whatnot. There were also suggestions of ano...
It used to be in my younger days (which were a long time ago) that November was primarily the month before December, which meant it wasn’t that much longer before Christmas. As time has passed though, and memories have been added of places and times and people which impacted my life in some way, positively or negatively, I have learned that Thanksgiving is more than the preamble to super shopping Friday or Christmas. It is truly a day when it is appropriate to spend time remembering those moments that have made such a difference in our l...
Still coming off the sugar high from the bags of candy passed out at Halloween — not to mention the discounted bags picked up at the stores starting Nov. 1 — advertisements online, over the radio waves and on television are already coming at us for the holiday season. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of consumerism this time of year with all the advertising, but it’s important to keep in mind that the greatest gifts you can give don’t cost a thing. With Thanksgiving just a couple weeks away, thought turn to turkey dinner with all...
I’m in a rather philosophical mood today. I think it started when I stepped out my back door and my feet flew out from under me and my head cracked on the bottom step. Maybe it jarred something loose. Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about the choices we make in life, both the good ones and the bad ones. Of course, at the time, all of our choices seem like good ones. It’s not until later that we realize we could have done something completely different and the outcome may have been amazi...
It began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, with people dressing in costumes and lighting bonfires to ward off ghosts more than 2,000 years ago, but over time its developed into a night of fun for the young and young at heart, complete with tricks and treats. It is Halloween. Along with costumes for the kiddies, 20 percent of the population is now buying costumes for their pets, too. Its a lot of fun to see entire families dressed up together to take the young ones door-to-door looking for goodies. We don’t see much of the ...
I’ve been following the controversy over keeping chickens in town. I am not a Thermopolis resident, but I own property in Hot Springs County and live in the city of Cody. My husband and I have chickens. Cody never passed an ordinance outlawing livestock in City limits. Instead we have a nuisance ordinance that extends to animal complaints. Occasionally loose dogs attack someone’s chickens or other animals, and the police are involved. Otherwise Codyites coexist just fine with poultry, horses, sheep, goats, donkeys, cattle and potbellied pig...
For those of you who haven't heard yet, this will be my last official personal column at the Thermopolis Independent Record. My wife and I made the decision earlier this month to return to our home state of Nebraska. It’s something we’ve been discussing for some time now, and things started falling into place in such a way that we knew we had to decide. In case you’re wondering, the choice was made based on being closer to family. Being four to six hours away makes it difficult for visits with g...
