Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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The Bighorn River runs 95 miles from the Wedding of the Waters south of Thermopolis to the North Kane Boat Ramp on the south end of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation area. There are currently 16 access points. Four public meetings at towns along the river were held, with the final meeting in Thermopolis last Thursday, to discuss the Bighorn River Blueway Trail. The attraction of the Bighorn River is growing. The portion of the river in Hot Springs County has long been known for its blue ribbon fishing, with other rereationists including...
Sunshine Week was launched in 2005 by the American Society of News Editors — now News Leaders Association — and has grown into an enduring initiative to promote open government. This year Sunshine weeks is March 13-19. Join News Leaders Association in the annual nationwide celebration of access to public information and what it means for you and your community. It’s your right to know. There are ways for community members to get involved and show your support for open government. If you are part of a civic group, you can organize local forum...
With a few top state offices in Wyoming up for election in 2022, the state’s political season is already in full swing. This week’s IR features our second initial candidate story of this season. State and local candidates are reminded the IR is pleased to print initial candidacy announcements as news. All candidates are eligible for one article, per political season, free of charge. We also do election sections ahead of the primary and general elections where we will feature information on all candidates. These are the sections that inc...
We do things a little differently in Wyoming than in other states across the country. In Hot Springs County, we do things a little differently than other counties across the state. Within the county, each of us does things a little different than our neighbors. And that’s just fine. Whatever it is you enjoy, enjoy it. When you see your neighbor doing what he enjoys, let him enjoy it. No need to be tending to his backyard, tend to your own. If he’s mowing his yard differently than you mow yours, who cares? Why should you care? Do you need to car...
American past times such as going to movie theaters have evolved since the introduction of streaming services, the effects of the entertainment economy, and the threats of Covid illnesses. Here in Thermopolis, our movie theater has been shut down for almost two long years. There is a buzz and excitement that has returned to the people of our community because the movie theater is back! What was once known as The Ritz, the newly renamed Micky’s Theater has opened. Now locals can enjoy that b...
This year has seen its fair share of crazy incidents locally as well as across the state and country. It’s fitting the end of what is commonly referred to as the “holiday season” is the New Year; one last “hurrah” for 2021, as we venture forward — some with trepidation, others with composure — into 2022. Henry Ward Beecher wrote once, “Every man should be born again on the first of January,” and while it’s nice to have the sense of an empty calendar year there’s no denying that, before long, each of us will have more than his or her share of co...
Remembering what we have to be grateful for is a good idea anytime of the year, but is especially so at Christmas time. Be grateful for: • Clothes that are too snug, because it means we have enough to eat. • The shadow that follows us, because it means we have sunshine. • The snow to shovel off steps and sidewalks, because it means we have homes. • Being able to complain about our government, because it means we have freedom of speech. • The lady who sings Christmas hymns and carols a little off key, because it means our hearing is good. • T...
by CJ Baker You don’t have to like the taste of road-killed meat to appreciate some new state regulations that will allow citizens to collect carcasses along Wyoming’s roads and highways. While the new rules aren’t exactly revolutionary, they will prevent some meat, antlers and other materials from dead animals going to waste — and that’s a good thing. Of course, the change in the law won’t change the fact that crashing into a deer or other animal is a lose-lose situation: You get a damaged vehicle — and maybe even some bumps, bruises or wo...
“December 7th, a day which will live in infamy,” said President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was 7:55 a.m. when the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, they changed the course of WWII. The entire attack took only around an hour and fifteen minutes. The unprovoked strike was met with outrage and disbelief, prompting the United States to declare war on Japan the very next day, thus entering the Second World War. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the at...
by Bryan Golden, author Thanksgiving is much more than a big meal with family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on, and be thankful for, all of the good things you have. It’s important to be grateful, not just on Thanksgiving, but each and every day. Rather than lamenting what you feel is lacking in your life, begin each new day by developing an attitude of gratitude. Take inventory of your blessings and you will be surprised at just how much you have to be thankful for. If you have enough to eat, a place to live, a way to get around, people...
Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for you, our veterans. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. We thank America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of co...
by Kevin Killough On Oct. 4, Facebook had a global outage. For several hours, users around the world were unable to argue politics with complete strangers, let friends know their relationship status had changed or show pictures of their dinner. Many people, understandably, rejoiced in this moment of social media downtime. Yet, for the better part of the past year, many of those same people, even conservatives who claim to champion small government, were arguing that Facebook had become a prolific and indispensable monopoly that needed to be...
As the crew of the Independent Record was looking through our old newspapers for this week’s Blast from the past, memory after memory from previous Moonlight Madness celebrations jumped off the pages. Several of the little children dressed as princesses, pumpkins and ninjas that were in the photos over the years, have now graduated high school. A big part of Moonlight Madness for many years was the Pinata Bash, hosted by Las Fuentes Restaurant. Photos showed some of the first pinata bashes held at the restaurant that featured homemade paper m...
by CJ Baker Over the past several weeks, Congress battled over whether and how to raise the national debt ceiling. Failing to do so would risk defaulting on some of the more than $28.4 trillion the federal government has already been allowed to borrow — plus the billions of dollars that Congress has already committed to spending. Given the damaging repercussions that would come from a default, Congress has little choice but to formally raise the debt ceiling. As a result, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate frequently try to u...
Suicide is Wyoming’s most persistent public health issue. And if anything, it’s getting worse. In 2004, the state possessed the nation’s fifth highest suicide rate, with about 17 deaths for every 100,000 residents. In 2019, Wyoming had the country’s highest rate, with 29.3 deaths per 100,000 people. Intuitively, we understand this. It’s an unfortunate reality in Wyoming that most people have been touched somehow by suicide. We’ve lost friends and co-workers, family and neighbors. Parents and children. Husbands and wives. To the people left...
A woman comes to the newspaper office and asks about an online story the paper published about another woman accused of killing her husband. She’s clearly agitated and almost in tears, hands shaking as they take a tissue out of her purse. Explaining she’d been the couple’s landlord for nearly a decade, the woman seemed desperate for details about what happened. “I can’t believe it,” she says. “I’m really in shock here.” Then she drops the other shoe. “We always thought he’d be the one to kill her,” the woman said, shaking her head. Thank...
As children, many of us are taught a simple golden rule - If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. Many seem to have thrown that golden rule out of the window, backed up and ran over it. Constructive discussion and feedback are healthy in our society. However, name calling, personal attacks and intentional hateful comments are becoming more and more acceptable, especially on social media. Most of us have seen a post or comment that has turned into an all out word war. People reading a word war, even if they don’t have a str...
Hot Springs County School District students have returned to school and are settling into their daily schedules. This is such an exciting time for students, parents and teachers. For some students, it is also filled with anxiety and a little bit of fear. Parents, please be patient with your children as they get used to their new teachers, classmates and daily routines. Some kids, and even some parents, may be a bit distracted as they travel to and from school. It is important for all drivers to slow down in all school zones. Parents with...
The latest round of federal stimulus funding represents both an opportunity and a potential pitfall for Wyoming. The opportunity comes in the form of $1.2 billion in federal funds that don’t have to be spent for years, providing the state money to address critical needs, especially at a time when Wyoming’s traditional revenue sources have become less reliable. The possible pitfall stems from the fact that with so much money floating around, there’s a danger that state leaders don’t end up spending it effectively. One of the most importa...
A few weeks agao, news organizations reported incidents of vaccine mandates handed down in New York City and California. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced vaccine mandates for employees. The Department of Justice also recently announced its conclusion that federal law does not prohibit public agencies and private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccines, even those under emergency authorization. Then, President Joe Biden announced a vaccine mandate for all federal employees. If employees refuse the vaccine, they will face...
The Hot Springs County Fair starts Saturday with the youth horse show and continues through the next week. And this year, all events are a go. Along with all the livestock shows there will be pig wrestling, family fun night and the chili cook off will be going on. Finishing off fair week on Friday, this year the Judges Choice Bake Sale will be sold during a silent auction followed by the pre-sale buyers dinner and the junior livestock auction. Moving into Saturday and Sunday the town will be packed for the Gift of the Waters Pageant and...
The end of July and into August is packed with events in Hot Springs County. An event coming up the first weekend of August is the Gift of the Waters Pageant. The pageant celebrates a very important gift for Hot Springs County and past, present and future community members. In case you are one of the several residents who may not be familiar with the reason for the pageant, the following is taken from the pageant program and explains the history of the Big Spring and the reason for the Gift of the Waters Pageant. by Jessie L. Duhig Moccasined...
One of the most amazing things about living in our small town community is the way we pull together when tragedy strikes. Two Hot Springs County High School graduates were recently involved in two separate accidents that sent both of them to ICU units, one in Casper and one in Billings Trevor Stimpson, a class of 2019 HSCHS graduate, had an accident while enjoying a float on the Bighorn River. He had a seizure, fell out of his kayak and went under water. The friend that was with him struggled to get him out of the water and was ultimately helpe...
We are excited to see this page full of letters to the editor with our readers expressing their views on a variety of topics. As you read these letters, please remember that you also have the right to express your views. We welcome your opinions on issues affecting our community, our state and our country. Our readers include people with a variety of political beliefs, a wide range of ages and different lifestyles. Letters to the editor will all be printed as long as they meet the guidelines below and are not found to be libel in nature. So,...
The Hot Springs County High School parking lot was full of players and spectators for the Thermopolis 3-on-3 Saturday and Sunday. The event, sponsored by the Bobcat Booster Club, reportedly had around 100 teams that competed. This weekend, the Thermopolis Brewfest will be downtown and will feature family fun and several breweries offering up their beers for those 21 years and older. Next weekend there will be a WJRA rodeo at the fairgrounds with local youths and youths from around the state competing from bragging rights and awards. On...
