Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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Among the points of interest in Thermopolis, there are an abundance of hiking trails, from the well known paths up Roundtop, T-Hill and Memorial Hill to the less prominent Owl Creek Hill and Star Trail. At the Thermopolis Independent Record, we help make sure people are aware of where these trails are, points of interest along the way and any special precautions they might need to take. This is done largely through our annual Visitor's Guide, though it also takes the community to make the publication possible and see the trails are put to good...
The First Amendment prohibits impediments against basic rights and freedoms including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to peaceably assemble and last, but certainly not least, freedom of the press. Freedom of the press means that newspapers, magazines and other printed materials have the right to publish without governmental restriction. It is only subject to the laws of libel (a written defamation of character), obscenity and sedition (speech or conduct inciting people to rebel against authority). First responders to an automo...
Summer vacation for students is winding down while the new school year is approaching. Parents are beginning to receive supply lists via mail for Thermopolis Middle School and Hot Springs County High School and Ralph Witters Elementary students’ supply lists can be found online at hotsprings1.org. While school doesn’t begin until Thursday, Aug. 25 and the supply lists may seem daunting at times, it is good for parents to have plenty of time to gather all of the necessary things to make this year a success for all students. I’m sure when paren...
As a newspaper, it is our responsibility to report the happenings around town. While that includes information from the latest meetings, upcoming events and results from local sporting events, it also means shining a light the other direction. When it comes to legal matters such as calls to the police department or sheriff’s office, happenings in the circuit and district courts, marriage licenses and divorces, the paperwork associated with these events is a matter of public record. Here at the Thermopolis Independent Record, we choose to p...
The Fourth of July and Swinging Bridge and Bison Centennial Celebration on Monday was an amazing group effort. The celebration would not have been possible without the help of many individuals. The Independent Record would like to thank everyone who helped to turn this year’s celebration into something magical and unforgettable for children and adults alike. For the Swinging Bridge and Bison Centennial Celebration, numerous groups, organizations and businesses helped to make it a fun evening for everyone. Hot Springs State Park, the Pioneer Ass...
The attacks Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and their respective (if not respectful) followers trow upon one another is enough to make a citizen fear for the Republic. But in reality, these barrages are nothing new. Time has a way of healing the wounds of personal destruction and so we are left believing that our founders were not only political geniuses but also politically genial. But that’s just not the way it was. Treacherous in private friendship and a hypocrite in public life were Thomas Paine’s assertions in a Letter to the Editor abo...
Journalism is about journalistic objectivity. Journalistic objectivity means that, as journalists, we must cover ever aspect of a story devoid of opinion. We must cover every side of that story, which means covering every differing opinion about the issue — regardless of how we personally may feel or what side we may be on. In essence, we take a step back from ourselves to present the facts as they are. We present the issue. We represent those that agree with the issue. We represent those that disagree with the issue. We even represent those w...
Among the big topics of discussion during the past several months has been the formation of a district for Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital and the Specific Purpose Sales and Use Excise Tax. While a hospital is important to the community, these two proposals — one that would provide funding for an addition to the hospital and renovation of existing space, the other that would provide funding for continued operation — have split the community in the past and today. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, which will determine whe...
Thermopolis seems to be filled with community-minded individuals, always ready to lend a helping hand. Whether it’s helping someone back out of a parking space into the most heavily-trafficked street in town or helping to push someone’s car to Maverik when they run out of gas, there are always residents willing to go that extra mile for someone. Community organizations and their members also put the needs of others and the needs of the community front and center. They organize beautification projects and activities to enhance the social lif...
Monday meant a lot of different things to different people. For students, it was the first Monday without any classes. Others might have seen it as a day off work, a chance to roll out the barbecue or enjoy a day at the park. Many go about the day as simply an opportunity to sleep in or be a bit lazy, without another thought. Too often the sacrifices men and women have made in service to their country go unrecognized. Memorial Day, originally established in 1868, is not just a chance to enjoy a...
As the school year winds down and another class of graduates received their diplomas, I caught myself reflecting on my own high school career at Alliance, and the time since. I was a member of the Class of 2000. 9-11 hadn’t happened yet, and the world didn’t have the heightened sense of fear and need for security it does now. Social media was in its infancy, so we relied on actual human interaction. Like the majority of my classmates, I was just living in the moment through that senior yea...
In my initial article on geologic hazards of the Bighorn River floodplain, I described how towns along the Bighorn River are at risk due to possible seismic activity causing the Boysen Dam to become damaged or to fail. The following scenario is a theoretical combination of events. Thanks to multiple monitoring government agencies, we would have adequate warning and preparedness such that loss of property and life would be minimized. Now consider a combination of circumstances that could come together to create the “Perfect Storm.” A winter sea...
A new rule governing overtime pay for employees will create disruption at small newspapers and likely lead to more job cutbacks, National Newspaper Association President Chip Hutcheson, publisher of The Times-Leader in Princeton, Ky., said today. He expressed disappointment that the U.S. Department of Labor had rejected calls by many small businesses to introduce a more modified and gradually-rising threshold that sets overtime-eligible employees apart from professional staff. The new rule, which will go into effect Dec. 1, sets the threshold...
Last week, Thermopolis resident Tom Anderson stopped by the IR office to tell me how he couldn’t believe a major company actually listened to a person from our little corner of the world. Anderson explained his fence pliers had become worn with age, to where they could not cut two lines of fence simultaneously anymore. Having about 60 miles of fence to take care of, this was obviously a problem. Though he recently had the tool fixed to where it’s cutting again like it should, Anderson also suf...
School zones are put in place to help ensure the safety of children going to and from schools and walking around schools. Drivers are responsible for maintaining safety and awareness in a school zone. All children deserve a safe school environment, including both in and around their school. Keep your eyes on the road and our mind on the task at hand. We are navigating a large vehicle in close proximity to small children. Don't let the fact that you are a little sleepy, distracted by your cell...
This year a number of local, state and national political candidates will be vying for votes in media outlets locally and across the country. Because of space limitations and fairness to candidates, the Thermopolis Independent Record has had a long standing policy of not accepting letters to the editor endorsing or opposing political candidates. This policy was in effect when I joined the IR in 1998. I believe the policy was implemented a number of years prior to that. Over the years, this...
The planning cycle for the long-awaited Hot Springs State Park Master Plan is scheduled to be completed as soon as March of this year. A year long planning process by Wyoming State Parks Historic Sites and Trails included three public meetings held in Thermopolis and input from members invited to participate in a steering committee. The public meetings were advertised in advance in the IR by the state park. Articles were ran in advance of meetings as well as afterward summarizing what took...
Adult protection, grandparent, post office, unclaimed property, secret shopper, census, mail order, sweepstakes, internet, banking, credit card, online dating, charity, employment, lottery, medical, social media, direct debit, telemarketing and genealogy. What do all of these things have in common? Seemingly nothing at first glance. Simply add the word scam after each and you have barely touched the surface of the hundreds of different types of fraudulent schemes designed to trick you into giving away your money or your personal information....
On Sunday, Nov. 8, the Thermopolis community was shaken by an unimaginable tragedy. As we reel in our grief and loss, as we pray for those affected and those involved, we find ourselves in a place that deserves introspection. Trains and railways have for over a century formed the backbone of industrial America and led our country to become the most powerful in the world. Trains are commonplace in every town and city across our great land. For Thermopolis locals, the blaring of horns day in and day out often goes unnoticed. The same can be said...
We’re all still a little shell-shocked from the fallout of the Great Recession. As for newspapers, in 2007 when our world economy was at its peak, so was newspaper pulp production. But by mid-2008 people had stopped spending money and you probably noticed a dearth of 18-wheelers on the highways. But despite the chorus of “print is dead” (led by our own industry) some strange facts have come to light. Pulp sales in the U.S. in 2014 finally surpassed that high water mark of 2007 and 2015 is expected to surpass that. Spending on direct mail also...
Held each year during the third week of October, National School Bus Safety Week is designed to promote and celebrate school bus safety at school across the country. School buses are used to transport precious cargo to and from school and school activities regularly. Designed for safety, with flashing lights, giant mirrors, high seat backs and that bright yellow color, school buses are used to transport over 25 million students nationwide each school day. Staff in the transportation department at Hot Springs County School District work to...
Back to school schedules are starting, families are getting back into a routine - but I am convinced that ranch kids have a somewhat different schedule than other kids. Instead of setting the alarm to simply wake up and get ready for school, their alarms are set several hours earlier to take care of ranch chores that must be done prior to school. Growing up, I remember having to be pulled out of bed to get my work done in the wee morning hours before the bus came. During high school years, I...
For many rural families, summer climaxes at fair time. “Why?” you may ask. Well, it’s not a simple answer. Imagine acquiring (purchasing, being gifted, etc.) a steer calf. This calf is not a pet but rather livestock that will be sold in less than a year’s time for the purpose of slaughter. Your task is to, on a daily basis, nurture this animal, feed it, and handle it to best prepare it for show. You may have a young lifetime of experience working with cattle, but this steer is yours and it is y...
Color, smiles, sun, and art were the main themes from a newbie’s perspective of Thermopolis’ Pageant Days and Folk Festival weekend. This past weekend was my first, ever, Pageant Days and Folk Festival experience and although it went by like a blur, it was enjoyable on many levels. As a reporter, I hit just about every event the weekend had to offer. Saturday morning began with excited runners jogging in place and prepping their mindsets with energetic music at the 5K/10K Pageant Run in HSS...
I've spent 36 years in the communications business and one thing I've learned from all that time is that communication breaks down. That lesson was brought home to me again this week as I watched the interaction between the Thermopolis Volunteer Fire Department and the Hot Springs County Rural Fire District. If you've read the story on our front page, you have pretty much the gist of the idea, but the break down between these two entities was a long time coming and could have so easily been avoi...
