Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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Last Tuesday night, the Thermopolis Town Council passed an ordinance on its third reading to remove fluoride from our municipal drinking water. Beginning December 12th, fluoride will no longer be added to our water supply. As your mayor, I want to provide clarity about this decision, its implications, and how we can ensure continued dental health for our community. The debate over water fluoridation centers on balancing risk and reward. Fluoride has undeniably played a significant role in reducing tooth decay, especially in children. However,...
If you would like to know where the officer involved shooting of a man with mental illness stands, as I do, you should contact the attorney at the Fremont County Attorney’s Office. I understand they’re going to review the DCI case. I personally would like to know why the officers involved didn’t take more time and get more backup? Why so many shots were fired and where they all hit? What was done to de-escalate the situation? Will there be a public hearing of any kind held? If you have questions you would like answered, please contact the F...
I am a native Wyomingite who grew up in Lusk, attending grade school and acquiring my family values in the 1960s. Like many (if not most) Wyoming children of my generation, my family took me on family trips to Thermopolis where I was deeply impacted by the hot springs, the buffalo herd, the Swinging Bridge, Roundtop, and the utterly unique landscape of this particular place (not to mention the journey here through the Wind River Canyon or over the Bighorns from Buffalo). I went out into the World, again, like many Wyominites of my generation....
In August, I, as Chair of the Hot Springs County chapter of Moms for Liberty, approached the Hot Springs County School District with an offer to provide copies of the U.S. Constitution for distribution to our eighth graders on Constitution Day, September 17th. The pocket Constitutions are provided gratis by the 917 Society, a non-profit educational organization. The offer was turned down, for reasons that varied over time, such as: The booklets contain a QR code. It does. And the problem is? The booklets contain an oath. Guilty as charged....
As the mayor of the Town of Thermopolis, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand the power of community and the important role each citizen plays in shaping our local government. One of the most important aspects of our Constitutional Republic is the First Amendment, which guarantees us the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and the right to petition our government. These freedoms form the bedrock of our nation, and while we are grateful for them, we must also recognize the responsibilities they place on each of us as individuals....
As we approach another election we must realize that this election, more than any other, there will be no winners, regardless of who is elected. You don’t have to be religious to agree with Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” I regret I have not always lived with this verse in mind. Chuck Cooper...
I recently read the article in the Travel and Tourism section of the paper where Jim Matthewson told the story of a man who was visiting our town to consider locating his business here. He was impressed with the Hot Springs State Park and the downtown area. Jim saw this man the next day and he informed Jim he would not be locating his business here after seeing some of the neighborhoods. He cited the reasons being “there is no pride of place here.” This mad told Jim it appeared the town had no compliance officer to protect the property values....
We have the best Fire Department around! Saturday we were bringing a stack of straw from Worland and at the Kirby area, the straw got hot and caught fire. A good samaritan from Worland called the fire department. The Sheriff’s Department and a Highway Patrolman stopped the traffic. It only took minutes to burn the truck, trailer and straw. They kept working until the fire was clear out. A neighbor even brought a tractor over to help. We want to thank all of you who helped and helped save the countryside from burning more than it did. My wife a...
I just hiked to the top of Roundtop this morning. With each step, I marveled again at the amazing effort it took to build the trail. I have hiked both the old trail and the new one many times and I appreciate the new trail more each time I use it. I went back to read an article in the IR - Grand opening of new Roundtop Trail from the Saturday, May 19, 2022 issue. It is amazing that the trail was built by a 4-person team, doing all the work by hand. They moved rocks weighing up to 4 tons. When nothing else worked, they used black powder to...
It was truly sad to read of the devastation the animals are causing to the Hessenthalers corn crop. They have worked very hard to bring their delicious corn to Thermopolis tables for 39 years. What a treat this has been. The animals have been a problem all along to deal with but the deer and antelope this year are devastating. I like animals but we need to ask ourselves - are deer and antelope more important than people? This problem needs to be dealt with immediately. The Game and Fish Dept. needs to help with this problem. The animals can...
The ESSER Funds were issued to local school districts out of various COVID Relief funds. For the ESSER 3 funds, or the ARP, HSCSD#1 had to have a written plan which included public meetings to see how the community wanted to spend the funds. The primary purpose of the funds was to help open schools safely after COVID and then to help with the learning loss that occurred during closures. HSCSD#1 applied for $3.2 million. Solution Tree is a vendor who provides consultants to schools to teach them about the PLC Model. The PLC model is about a...
My great-grandfather William Worth Earley came over the mountain in 1884 in a covered wagon, a wife and four kids. What a blessing for my family. I have said many times that two blessings we take for granted, No. 1 we were born in America and No. 2 we live in Wyoming and especially the Big Horn Basin. Great planning by our senators and representatives have made this State of Wyoming and Washakie County a great conservative place to live. We have a serious problem in that we are being invaded, not only by illegal immigrants, but by...
I have heard a few people complain about our hospital. I must wholeheartedly disagree, after spending three days in bed and having not only all the doctors I saw, but also the nursing staff, lab techs and housekeeeping. I would like to mention everyone by name, but will not take the risk of forgetting a name or two. I know a few who would expect last rites over a hang nail. I submit to you that next time you must go to the ER and possibly stay over - try showing them a smile instead of a grimace. They all do a remarkable job tending to us and...
I’m writing to you as a private citizen, since I’m now retired after 48 years in land use planning and no longer represent Hot Springs County. I’m responding to Daniel Powell’s July 4 article summarizing the Tipi Retreat matter. It’s not a bad article, but reflects the fact that the County chose to not join any media discussion (both print and online) of this topic while the applicant’s lawsuit was pending. In my opinion, Daniel’s article doesn’t quite tell the whole story. I feel the facts are there, but I detect a slight sympathy toward...
The Preparedness Fair at the fair grounds on Saturday, June 29 was outstanding. The organizer did an amazing job! The speakers, classes and exhibits were very informative. Thank you for an excellent job to help us be more prepared for present or future problems or emergencies. Kathryn Juarez...
I am writing to bring attention to what I believe is the inherent cruelty and danger associated with animal circuses. In my opinion, the use of wild animals in circuses not only perpetuates the exploitation and suffering of animals but also poses significant risks to the safety of the audience members. According to my research, animals in circuses are often subjected to brutal training methods, confined to cramped and unnatural living conditions, and forced to perform tricks that go against their natural behaviors. I believe this exploitation...
I am writing in response to the recent decision to deny the Stevens family the right to operate The Tipi Retreat business on their property based on zoning laws. I respect that laws must be enforced, and I am very much a follower of laws. However, I find it incredibly ironic that someone can buy a parcel of land at the bottom of Lane 12, and build a junkyard on that property while that land is zoned as what I assume is agricultural. When I look on the Wyoming Cadastral for that parcel of land, I see the mailing address is for a human at an...
On Friday, June 14, we celebrate Flag Day. Ever since September 11, 2001, we have seen more American Flags displayed at any time since World War II. Yet, if we asked the average citizen as to how Flag Day came about, they most likely would draw a blank. I thought I would take this opportunity to write this letter with the help of information from the Northwestern University Alumni Magazine, about how Flag Day came about in the hope readers would enjoy learning about something that has long been forgotten. It all started with Bernard J. Cigrand...
Governor Mark Gordon, As you know, President Biden’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced last week its intention to end all future coal leasing in the Powder River Basin– a decision in pursuit of the Biden Administration’s anti-American, anti-energy “climate crisis” agenda. The BLM’s Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) refers to the shuttering of the nation’s largest coal producers as “the no-leasing alternative,” which the agency chose while rejecting the slate of other alternatives before it (including “no ac...
Hello fellow Thermopolis residents! Most of you know me as well as my Service Dog Maui. I thought I would write this Letter to the Editor as a way to help you understand service dogs and the laws around them, specifically the ADA (American Disability Act). The questions that should be asked if it is not obvious a dog is a SD are: is the dog a service animal and required for a disability? The second question is: what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Dogs who are wearing guide or mobility harnesses or observed directly helping...
In my opinion, we have very serious school issues here in Hot Springs County. First of all, let’s look at what happened at last week’s School Board Meeting. Those of you fortunate enough to view it before the School Board took it down should be appalled at the behavior of certain members of our HSCSD #1 board. Board Trustee Bethany Webber brought up an issue and other board members met her with accusations, belittling and intimidation towards Bethany afterward. Very hard to watch. We are constantly being told to bring anything to the board and...
School bullying is plaguing our children with ill health, causing depression, headaches, poor grades, along with the inability to focus on school work and becoming anti-social, not wanting to be part of school activities. We need more education in our schools for our children about the impact school bullying is having on fellow students along with procedures that can be taken when someone is being traumatized due to school bullying. It should never be ignored. Schools can offer citizenship awards and incentives to encourage wellness between...
Looking at the article about ‘Hot Springs State Park proposals’ in the April 18 issue of the Thermopolis Independent Record, I have some questions. I see that the contract was awarded to the bidder who scored 5,213 points out of a possible 6,000. I am curious to know what the criteria was for earning all 6,000 points; why did this bidder score so high? Was the state’s process weighted to give preference to an applicant who would propose such sweeping changes? Did the state parks commission automatically give preference to a proposal which...
As far as I know, Harriet Hagman’s visit for a Town Hall meeting was well known before the Republican Convention April 18-20 and there was a good informational notice in the I.R. Congresswoman Hageman’s meetings are very informative and a great insight into D.C.’s goings on. Yet...I find it curious and sad that so many of our “community leaders” neglected to appear or show the courtesy to attend Harriet’s town hall here. She has worked hard to represent Wyoming and the citizens of Hot Springs County…especially after the Liz Cheney debacl...
The petition at the Hot Springs County Senior Center is simply to put the question of a special district on the ballot. Then if Democracy works correctly, people vote for or against it in the August primary. This petition is only to get the word out there, get it on the ballot and the voters say yes or no in August. A district would affect only property owners. If you don’t own property, you don’t pay a thing. Property owners would pay $1.59 per month on a $100,000 home and, in my opinion, that is not much. Once it gets on the ballot, it is the...
