Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Sorted by date Results 825 - 849 of 1296
Funny story. Last week I took my car to the shop, and walked home. When I got to my front door I realized my house key was with my car keys, at the shop. I was locked out. I decided to go around to the back of the house to see if I could get in. On my way past the front window I stopped and tapped on the window and peered in, just to tease my dogs sitting on the sofa just on the other side of the glass. When I got to the back gate I discovered it was swollen by the recent moisture and was stuck. I had to beat on it and kick it to get it freed....
Each year, Medicare loses billions of taxpayer dollars to improper claims. This puts the Medicare trust fund at risk for everyone and affects the future of the Medicare program. Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse also affect current Medicare beneficiaries by increasing Medicare premiums, wasting money that could be used to improve health care services and causing serious personal consequences for beneficiaries, such as medical identity theft, negative health impacts, and personal financial losses. Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) empower and...
As with many things in life, the 2018 Wyoming Legislature is here and gone already. Our local representatives, Nathan Winters and Wyatt Agar, have done well in keeping us informed of what’s been happening in Cheyenne during this budget session. Though the political game is one that often sees hard-drawn line of House vs. Senate or Democrat vs. Republican, Winters and Agar recently shared that they worked together on items such as bills related to the state budget, education, agriculture and bit coin technology. This type of partnership, w...
I was thinking the other day about a certain family member with whom the scales are decidedly out of balance to the tune of thousands of dollars in his favor. It’s been more than a year since I last saw him even though he has been in this locale several times during that period of time. Occasionally his image pops up in my consciousness, and negative thoughts fill my mind of what I’d like to say to him. Then a strange realization creeps in under the blackness of that bitterness, and the question arises — Do you think he’s giving you a thought...
Being a good Irish girl, my ancestral time for drinking and frivolity arrives this weekend. It is accompanied by corned beef and cabbage along with Irish soda bread. And yes, I may imbibe in a Bailey’s Irish float or two. One side of my family is Irish, the other side Scottish, so cabbage in all its possible forms was a staple in our house and I truly do love the sound of Scottish bagpipes. They will bring tears to my eyes every time. I think one of the funniest stories my grandmother ever told...
If you go through back issues of the Thermopolis Independent Record, you will see our writing most often reflects not just the news at the time, but hints at the changing seasons. This spring is no different. As we start preparing for greener pastures and pops of color from flowers coming into bloom, we see a new program has begun under the banner of Hot Springs County Emergency Management. The County River and Stream project will keep residents of Thermopolis and Hot Springs County appraised of river conditions as well as what is going on...
The big Feb. 14 Florida mass school shooting (and the previous several) show that too many good people are helpless against determined deviants and killers. They are unarmed, untrained for any defense, and essentially naked and afraid. Helpless. In another small state — Israel — these type of things don’t go on and on for dozens of victims, especially when perpetrated by one guy. Israelis live in an atmosphere of constant possibility of serious attacks, not just by crazies or mentals, but well-planned terrorists. Buses, schools, malls, churc...
One night this week we were out having dinner and when our evening was over we did not receive a bill. Our dinners had been paid for by some wonderful soul who had already picked up our tab and left before we even got our meal. Since we have no idea who this generous person was, our only way of saying “thank you” is to send this letter to the editor. It means so much in our society of negative news to know there are still many caring individuals around to spread blessings. Wish they were the ones that are always getting the attention of the...
I’m getting off the train! I have to admit I was real excited about our new President. Seemed he was doing everything right, or at least as much as one man can. He was sure trying hard to turn this country around for the common man. Darn, it seems that on the same day that Hope left the White House I had to get off the train. You see our President seems to have deserted the U.S. Constitution. I heard with my own ears him say we need to get the guns first and worry about due process later. Of course, he was only talking about, you know, (the c...
Can you feel it? Spring gets closer every day, and we’ve almost got another Wyoming winter in the books. But as spring acts as time of awakening for Mother Nature, take as a chance to open your own eyes to problems you might otherwise pass by. Our state is facing some drastic budgetary cuts, particularly with regard to our schools. That means budgets have to be cut at the local level as well, and our students are having to pay the penalties. Sure, there’s plenty of great things happening in the...
A large focus the past couple weeks for national news and the ever-present social media has been the Florida school shooting, with stories of heartache because of lost friends and family, calls for stricter gun laws and planned student protests. In times of tragedy such as these and the near constant online posts keeping it fresh in our minds, it can be a challenge to see the positive side to what our schools are doing. Here in Thermopolis, students in sports and other extra curricular activities, as well as just within their classrooms, are...
I’m humbled by the fine coverage of my selection to the Wyoming Press Association Foundation Hall of Fame given recently in the Independent Record by Publisher Lara Love. To twist an old adage, it takes a community to have a great newspaper. The people of Hot Springs County welcomed me as editor and publisher of the IR in 1984 and worked with me (and a bunch of fine IR team members) to make certain the IR was a newspaper doing its job. I’m especially proud of all that those IR team members have since achieved in Hot Springs County, Wyoming and...
Just like everyone else, sometimes my mornings don’t start out the greatest. Maybe I forgot to set the timer on the coffee pot or I woke up later than usual, you know, the kinds of things that make you grumpy right off the bat. I have to say, though, regardless of how my morning starts, somewhere around 7:45 I always have a smile on my face. I don’t know who she is, I don’t know her name, but she is there on the corner by the church, Monday through Friday, rain, snow or sunshine, helping our s...
The Wyoming State Legislature is currently considering a bill that would eliminate a Wyoming institution that has been around since 1949. The Wyoming Pioneer Home, part of the Wyoming Department of Health’s Aging Division, provides assisted living for the seniors of Wyoming at a reasonable cost, but now, the Legislature is attempting to privatize the facility and remove the state from any connection with the home. One section of the bill claims Hot Springs County is the only place that benefits from the Pioneer Home. Yes, locals are employed t...
Thanks to this past weekend, I can now add “mount a microwave above a range” to my resumé, though it’s also painfully obvious — extremely so — that I won’t be signing up with any home renovation companies in the foreseeable future. Since the snow and cold were keeping my family and the visiting in-laws from doing much outside, we decided to take on some indoor projects to get them out of the way. For my wife and mother-in-law, it was getting their taxes filed. For me and my father-in-la...
With 2018 being an election year, it won’t be long before we’re bombarded with political ads, campaign promises and candidates wanting to do what they can to win our votes. At the Independent Record, we work to bring you information about the political state at the local, as well as the state level, with regular reports from representatives Wyatt Agar and Nathan Winters. However, the abundance of information available, particularly through the Internet, provides everyone the opportunity to educate themselves about any candidate they might have...
“The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise,” Socrates more than 400 B.C Through the kindness of many coaches and administrators, I have been allowed the privilege of associating with a group of HSCHS athletes who subject themselves to a most vigorous conditioning regimen the likes of which I don’t remember from my own athletic experience at their age. Their practice sessions range from an hour to nearly two hours some days; they start at 4...
Our Democratic Republic is being attacked by a political cancer. Almost every person in the Federal Government swore to uphold the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and the separation of powers are being threatened right now. All U.S. citizens should consider this problem and hopefully respond appropriately....
So here we are, one of my favorite days of the year – the day after Valentine’s Day. Yes, if you know me, I’m very much a salty, spicy, chips eating kind of girl, but I must confess, I am sometimes a closet chocolate eater. Hence, today is one of the best as everything Valentine’s related has gone into the discount bin and just before closing you may find me at the store sifting through the leftover goodies that other girls in town did not get from their special someone. Milk chocolate is, of...
We sometimes forget how very fortunate we are to have the kind of education in Hot Springs County that we have. Our students are lucky to have not only well versed teachers who work tirelessly to ensure they are up on the latest techniques, but support staff that sees our children are the future of not only our little county, but the world. We have educators throughout the district that are winning individual awards for creativity and excellence. Our elementary school is filled with little advanced readers. Our high school and middle school...
It’s time for the greeting card companies, chocolatiers and florists to really get busy, as Valentine’s Day is just a week away. Whatever your plans for Feb. 14, there’s no doubt that February brings with it the feeling of love in the air. Though you might feel pressured into buying something traditional for your special someone, whether it be jewelry, flowers, tasty treats or hand tools, keep in mind there’s alternatives as well. I’m not saying don’t buy the love of your life something,...
It’s a phone call, text or message nobody wants to receive — that family friends or loved ones are missing. We’ve certainly had our share in the past few months here in Thermopolis. When someone goes missing, it can cause plenty of worry and stress, along with a multitude of questions, but at the same time it’s amazing to see how the community comes together for one another and provides, whether it be eyes and ears to search, spreading notices across social media or just providing a comforting shoulder and someone to talk to. An inciden...
Old, old laws Thermopolis Planning Board keeps on the books need to change. One law is — the city claims one hundred feet of “right of way” from curb to curb of city streets. Some streets are only 40 feet, or less, wide. This means the “right of way” laps 30 feet, more or less, onto property you pay taxes on. You are also responsible to keep the weeds on the city property removed. Years ago when city streets were mapped out, many lots were 30 ft. by 140 ft. You cannot build much on 30 feet. So people bought two lots to have a 60 by 140 foot...
I have an arrangement with my landlord. I am going to die in this house...because I detest moving. He’s OK with that. We all go through life gathering this and that, not really thinking about all the items we have picked up along the way. That is until we decide to move. While its amazing the things I have found during this latest moving adventure, it is even more amazing to realize the places I’ve been, the connections with family and friends, old photos and assorted trinkets I’ve found. Every...
The beautiful white snow we looked so forward to in December in anticipation of a visit from Santa has now turned into the gray, frozen, muddy icky-ness of January. For the most part, roads in town are pretty clear with a few exceptions here and there, thanks in a big part to our Town crews out there taking care of things. They are definitely out there early in the morning as we at the Independent Record see them trying to get the south side of the downtown area cleared up as we’re coming to work each day. Mother Nature has had her hand in i...
