Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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The IR Community Chatter columns that appear on this page are submitted to us by a variety of local community members. Recently, we were asked if our Community Chatter is affiliated with one that has been started by a local resident and appears online. The short answer is no. For several years we have been using the Community Chatter heading for community generated guest submissions. They come from a variety of sources and involve many different topics. We don’t own rights to the name Community Chatter. We just want to clear up any confusion s...
We are happy to see this page full of local community chatter. The purpose of the page is to allow people to express their opinions, without being offensive or attacking someone’s personality. Both of these pieces follow those guidelines. Typically, we do not allow submissions of the length of the two featured on this page. However, given the importance of these issues, an exception was made. To be clear though, we will also allow the same amount of space for well written rebuttals to either or both of these Community Chatter pieces. If you h...
This week, House Bill 298 did not get considered for introduction, therefore it is dead for this session. As it should be. House Bill 298 would have created a centralized electronic public notice system for Wyoming which would have ensured the watchmen would be in charge of watching themselves. The bill was intended to create a centralized electronic notice system maintained by the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office. In short, the government would then be in charge of keeping an eye on the government. Yes, you read that correctly. Under H...
The power of unity is a rare prize and can be costly. This unity has various assailants that can thwart its existence. The greatest foe of unity is offense. For the past few years, residents of Thermopolis and Hot Springs County have found themselves divided bitterly over a variety of contested subjects. There have been deaths, lawsuits, and social media has been a vehicle for quite a few beatings on different matters. Can Thermopolis survive these and enter into prosperity? The old adage, “A house divided will surely fall” is shouting quite lo...
Wyoming’s 67th Legislative Session began on Jan. 14. The Wyoming Legislature alternates between a 40-day General Session in odd-numbered years and a 20-day Budget Session in even-numbered years. Gov. Mark Gordon delivered his State of the State message last Wednesday. There are hundreds of Bills listed on the Wyoming Legislature website for the 2025 year. Not every Bill will or deserves to hit the Governors desk. The Senate includes 31 members and the House of Representatives has 62 members. Our Legislatures will be very busy over the next f...
The temporary closure of the Star Plunge this week is a much discussed and controversial topic in our community and elsewhere. The facility, located in Hot Springs State Park, closed on January 14. A legal dispute between C & W Enterprises and Wyoming State Parks needs to be settle before a new operator can take over. Without a resolution to that ongoing litigation, or a finalized sale, the temporary closure will proceed. Many have shown the Luehne family an outpouring of support, others look forward to an updated, modern facility. Regardless...
by Lara Love If you are a subscriber, this week’s edition of the Thermopolis Independent Record will be delivered one day later than normal. We apologize for the inconvenience. The National Day of Observance statement next to this editorial explains all the Postal Service particulars. On our end, the date was set to honor the 39th President of the United States too late for us to plan for an early deadline, which would have gotten subscribers their paper a day early. That is our typical policy when there is a Thursday holiday. Thank you for y...
We have compiled the year in review and it is featured in this edition. 2024 has been an interesting year in Hot Springs County. The year in review features a small look at 52 stories, one for each week, that ran in the IR. We have had some amazing accomplishments by our residents, both adults and youths. As a community, we have suffered the loss of some of our residents, some in tragic ways. The election has put new faces on a few of our local boards, bringing with them new ideas and new focus. We hope you enjoy this first edition of 2025 and...
As we approach the year 2025, let’s look forward to maximizing our community’s potential and putting our unused or under appreciated resources to use to bring greater prosperity to Hot Springs County. Imagine those who are waiting in the wings, the unseen, who have talents and abilities that go above the status quo. It is up to us to be self aware and recognize where talent and giftings can be put to their full achievement. There are so many of them that bring much to the table. Diminishing them diminishes the overall possibilities for gre...
As of the date of this edition, I have been working for the Independent Record for 26 years, 7 months and 26 days (yes, I counted). I have a lot of issues behind me, in more ways than one. This particular issue, the one that includes the Letters to Santa and the Christmas Greetings, is one of my favorites each year. You’ll find them in the B section. Both of my sons were raised in Thermopolis and attended RWE. I’ve looked through the back issues from their youth and read their letters. Its a f...
by David Peck, Lovell Chronicle There is a popular and strongly held belief running through American society these days that we are a nation divided, a people torn asunder. To a certain degree it’s certainly true. I have lamented that condition in this very space numerous times that we are a nation of grievance and retaliation. And when you look at national politics, that notion certainly rings true, especially during a presidential election year. I have entered into plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding our nation’s internal con...
The guest column on this page explains the many reasons to support our local small businesses. The column states “Small businesses are the backbone of our democracy, and the solution to our most challenging economic problems.” We suggest you support our local businesses this holiday season, as well as year around. The Merry Christmas Market gives you another reason to shop local - $500 in Chamber Bucks can be won over the next two weeks. It is really easy. All you have to do is shop local at a participating business and turn in your rec...
We want to take the opportunity to say how thankful we are for our loyal advertisers and readers. Many of you have supported us for several decades and continue to do so. To our loyal readers, thank you for your unwavering support. We truly appreciate you taking the time to engage with our content, and your continued presence is what drives us to keep putting out a newspaper each week. To our dedicated advertisers, we couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for partnering with us to keep this small town newspaper alive. Your continued trust in u...
The local Community Survey results are in and a public meeting was held on Tuesday evening to discuss the results, form committees and plan for next steps. We had the survey in our Oct. 3 edition as an insert, it was circulated to area business and on social media. Shurie Scheel is leading the way for the planning committee who put out the survey. If you did not get a chance to fill out the survey or attend Tuesday’s meeting, we are sure you can still participate in some way. The group has announced they will need several volunteers to serve o...
At the IR, we are gearing up for the holiday season and so are our area businesses and organizations. We are running an ad special in November and December so check out the ad on page 2 for details on how you can save big with multiple ads. If you have an event coming up, please let us know. We will be happy to work up an advertising package, write an article and take photos at the event. In this week’s edition, you will find information on several upcoming events happing around our community. This weekend, a local favorite, the annual B...
The unofficial local results from the 2024 General Election appear on the front page of this paper. Unfortunately, due to printing deadlines, we are unable to include complete state or federal results. Our readers may not know it, but our paper is currently printed in Cody. Typically, our finished pages are requested to be uploaded by 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening so our paper can be processed and ready for printing beginning around 6 a.m. Wednesday mornings. To get our local results on our front page we held it to send later on Tuesday night, by...
The 2024 General Election section is included in this paper and contains useful candidate information on those running for local, state and federal offices. Locally, we have some important races that will be decided when voting ends at 7 p.m., Tuesday, November 5. We have two qualified candidates running for a single seat on the Hot Springs County Commissioners Board. In a highly contested race, eight candidates are looking to fill four available seats on the Hot Springs County School District Board of Trustees. Three candidates are on the...
Visitors often say one of the best things about our community is the welcoming, friendly people they find here around town and at our local businesses. One person recently said about Thermopolis, “The townspeople (Thermopolites?) are nice, helpful, friendly and simply great people.” That is a wonderful compliment for the residents of our little town. Recently though, our community members have been struggling to be civil and decent to one another. They may still be being nice and friendly to visitors, but to their own neighbors there has bee...
Residents of Hot Springs County have a chance to fill out a community survey to help guide officials in prioritizing things important to citizens of HSC and Thermopolis as a community-wide strategic plan is created. The results will be shared with the public in a future edition of the Independent Record and online. The surveys were included in the October 3 issue of the IR. You can also pick up a copy at our office 431 Broadway, during normal business hours. Additionally, you can get a copy of the survey at the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber...
October 6-12 is National Fire Prevention Week and is also recognized by the Governor of the State of Wyoming. One of the most important things you can have in your home is properly working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms serve as the first line of defense in the event of a house fire, giving families the crucial time to escape safely. Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area, as well as on each floor of your home, including the attic. It is a good idea to test your smoke alarms regularly by pressing the test...
If you missed the Monday school board candidate forum, there were several interesting questions asked and answered. We will be running the information from that event in next week’s issue. On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce is hosting a meet the candidates forum starting at 6 p.m. at the Thermopolis Middle School. All candidates registered to run in the general election have been invited. This is another opportunity for voters to hear from the candidates and visit with them following the question/answer p...
This week’s story “Talking trash with Mayor Estenson” begins on the front page and jumps to page 7. It is long, but it is informative. The recent decision by the Town of Thermopolis to purchase land for an alternative location for the garbage transfer station has sparked a community debate. We hope all those interested in the subject will read the article this week and share it with a friend. Many of the questions being passed around the community are addressed in the article. The Town of Thermopolis will also hold a meeting on Tuesday, Octob...
by Megan Barton, Cody Enterprise It seems all too often that we become caught up in the mundane tasks of daily life and find ourselves in a rut. Sure, we’re busy with work, school, chores, kids, etc., but forgetting about ourselves can prove to be the easiest form of self sabotage. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about a routine during the week to keep myself from piling all the “boring” tasks onto the weekend. But, I do find it to be important to take time for myself and activities I enjoy. According to mhanational.org, forms of self-care...
Hot Springs County residents experienced a trifecta of events on Monday that have left many stunned and in shock. A severe thunderstorm brought strong winds blasting through town that caused a major amount of damage to various vehicle and buildings. As the wind was subsiding, a lightning strike heard around the community started a wildfire southeast of Thermopolis called the West Warm Springs Fire. By far the most tragic of the events was an officer/deputy involved shooting that resulted on the death of a local man. Officials are releasing...
Many parts of Wyoming are on fire, but, so far, Hot Springs County is not. We hope to keep it that way and ask for your help in doing so. We can all do our part to avoid being responsible for starting a wildfire. However, lightning can still be an unexpected culprit. Wildfire season is nearly over, and officials are gradually getting a handle on some of the fires around the state while others continue to rage. As numbers begin rolling in, the damages caused are astronomical. In HSC, we are still under a stage 1 county fire ban. An explanation...
