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A long time ago in the distant future, a cloud of gloom hovered beneath the North Pole. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) went South for the Winter, reversing the Magnetic Poles and causing a chain reaction of bizarre circumstances. Suddenly, Mrs. Santa was on the twelfth day of menopause. Everything she baked fell flat or burnt. As she grew grumpier by the day, there were no decorations or festive aromas nor cheerful atmosphere. AS NOT ENOUGH – Rudolph was suffering with a serious head cold. He sneezed so hard that his nose popped off a...
Each Thursday the IR arrives in the mail, and I typically go right to “On the Record” and the Obituaries to confirm I’m not mentioned in either. Lately, however, I’ve been focusing on the Record, aka the Police/Sheriff/Court blotter. I’m seeing a lot of family issues there, far too many for such a small community. And yet this trend now affects communities all across America. It includes domestic abuse, rebellious teens, drug use, alcohol abuse, and recently our little town had the threat of a teen brawl over drug paraphernalia. That’s a...
I was disappointed with a few of our candidates who are running for school board trustee. They seem to feel they do not have to answer questions from the public because the questions came from Republicans. Interestingly, many of the candidates who would not answer questions publicly stated they would be willing to answer them privately. Why is that? I realize the school board trustee is a non-partisan race, but people who run for public office answer to the public. Republicans are voters, many are taxpayers and all are obviously part of the...
In the October 20 issue, the newspaper ran an editorial about the local school board race. First off, I would like to make clear that I am addressing some issues about that race that involve a committee from the Hot Springs Republican party. I am a Democrat and have nothing personal against Republicans. I have been married to one for over 40 years. And in my 35 years of living in Wyoming, I can say I like and respect many Republicans and have voted for some. I think we can disagree and have civil discussions without being hateful or divisive. I...
To all the candidates who attended the Thermopolis School Board Candidate Forum hosted by the Republican Party: “Thank you for your courage to come and answer the questions asked of you.” The position of school board trustee is incredibly important to our schools, our teachers, our students and our community. This forum provided a very public opportunity in regard to where each candidate stood on various subjects. Sometimes these forums ask questions that may cause frustration or may cause people to be uncomfortable. However, the goal was to...
On our winter visit from Wyoming to Arizona, I picked up a volume of Louise May Alcott’s “Jo’s Boys” at an estate sale. Published in September of 1868, this book was found to be first edition. Included in this precious book were some hand-written notes that seem to be connected to the Thermopolis and Embar areas of Wyoming. My curiosity is pushing me to find if there are any relatives of the original owner of the book still in the area. The name inscribed is: Elizabeth Punteney. She gifted the book to Robert Price, Embar, Wyo. on Decembe...
Over the past several days, I have fielded an extraordinary number of phone calls asking me to run for Wyoming Secretary of State. I am not running for Secretary of State. I first learned of the effort to draft me to run, as an Independent, from news sources. I spoke with the authors of the petition and expressed that even if the required number of signatures were gathered, I would not run against the Party’s nominee and split a Party I love so dearly. I believe strongly that the Republican Party must unite around the shared principles of h...
Dr. Martian Luther King, Jr. was right when he said we should judge a person by their character, but it seems good ethics has fallen out of favor. There are more and more people saying it doesn’t matter if they cheat, steal, lie or even kill if the right outcome is achieved. Watch out voting for someone who is willing to compromise good character in order to win, gain power, or get rich. Chuck Cooper...
Thursday morning last week, we awoke to find the stock markets opening down over 2% again, and 401k accounts down 30% or more. Since this is directly due to the policies of the current administration, and no fault of senior 401k investors, I believe it is time for you, my Representative and Senators, to introduce legislation to waive the required withdrawal of a given percent of 401k accounts for those over 70 1/2. Seniors living on fixed incomes are suffering from 8.6% inflation, $5.00+ gasoline prices, 30% losses to their 401k’s and food c...
This past few weeks saw major erosions to the rights of Americans. Supreme Court decisions were made along political party lines. Us old people know this, but the young don’t, so for their benefit, I’d like to give a synopsis. There are 2 competing visions for America (called political parties: Dems and Reps). The GOP (grand old party)-Republicans push laws for putting more guns on the streets, cut worker’s abilities to unionize, strip working people from access to Medicaid, Medicare & Social Security, protect monopolies by corporations, spend...
Time will tell how much the flood-caused closing of Yellowstone will hurt the Wyoming tourism industry. Seems there was a brief boom for Thermopolis as tourists already on the way saw the signs “Yellowstone Park All Entrances Closed” or learned the bad news elsewise and turned to other locations. But what about people who are still at home, in parts east, west and south of the nation’s first national park--and that’s most of the country--and planning to go elsewhere? I sure hope they don’t go to Disneyland/World or some other artificial “theme...
I am respectfully submitting an excerpt from a book called “Freedom Tide” written by Chad Connelly: Anyone making statements that our Founding Fathers were not predominantly Christian, or that they did not base our form of governnment on God’s eternal laws, or that they intended the form of “separation of church and state” that we have today, is sadly mistaken. A small amount of homework conclusively reveals otherwise. Just a few truths for your study: The University of Houston conducted a study in which 15,000 writings of the founders...
Everyone wants to win the game! When we don’t , the officials usually get the blame. If you think officiating is easy, grab a whistle sometime and try working a game, at any level. Fans have the best view from the stands, whereas the officials are on eye-level with the players. We know there will be contact in basketball. In less than two seconds, the official must determine who initiated the contact, was it advantageous, do I act on it with a foul, or do we play on? All this depends on the angle the official sees the contact. How often have yo...
In June of 1956 a joint session of the United States Congress passed a bill changing our national motto from E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many ONe) to In God We Trust. The bill was soon signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The motto now appears on all of our money. Fast forward to today’s world. In Finland a member of the parliament and a clergy person are going to trial for quoting scripture and speaking publicly about their faith. In China Muslims have been put on concentration camps and their women sterilized. Christians are being martyred t...
I thought this might be of a slight interest. I see in a recent issue Bob James passed away. August of 1950 the Wyo. National Guard 300th Armored Artillery Bn. Was federalized and sent to Korea. The Bn. consisted of headquarters, Sheridan Firing Batteries: A-Thermopolis, B-Cody, C-Worland, Service Batt. Lovell. Batter A-Thermopolis consisted of 70 volunteers local A Battery. After 2 years on the line, 70 came home, with numerous medals, Purple Hearts and citations. There were 2 members alive at Bob James death. Bob James and myself, John...
I appreciated reading your article outlining the hospital staff’s appeal to the Hot Springs Health board. After doing my own research on the efficacy and safety of the current vaccines, I too have decided to remain “unvaxed.” None of them prevent disease or provide immunity and their side effects have been harming too many formerly healthy people - even causing sudden death; which ironically are deaths officially counted as ‘not fully vaccinated’ because the person did not survive both shots and live two weeks after the final one. It’s insa...
We appreciate receiving letters to the editor and regard them as our readers’ opportunity to improve our community, express their beliefs and communicate through the Thermopolis Independent Record. We want to give the people of Hot Springs County the opportunity to read those views as well as voice them. Recently, some confusion has occurred regarding our letter to the editor policy. One letter writer believed there should be no policy and all letters should run regardless of length or content. This editorial is to clarify our letter to the e...
In response to the “Streambank Erosion Project questioned” letter to the editor in the July 15, 2021, Independent Record, I would like to clarify some points. All Hot Spring Conservation District and NRCS projects are brought to the two organizations by the landowner and 100% voluntary. The landowner comes to us with a problem and we try our best to help them. The Russian olive trees were removed by Hot Springs Weed and Pest at the landowner’s request because they were placed on the Wyoming Designated Noxious Weed List in 2006. The prese...
As the closest neighbor to the actual Streambank Erosion Project along the Bighorn River I am surprised at the misinformation that was provided during the Natural Resource Tour regarding this project. Fact, Weed and Pest removed the Russian Olives along the outer bank of an oxbow in the river. Fact, yes the bank without the protection of vegetation began to immediately erode. I have personally watched large parts of the bank fall into the river during high water. I would guess that I have witnessed close to 10’ of bank disappear. Fact, NRCS a...
In the spring of 2020 the Chinese Communists unleashed the COVID-19 Pandemic on the world. The World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, the US Government, China and the so-called free press colluded to suppress its origin, which logic tells me, was the virology lab in Wuhan, China. The American people deserve an explanation as to why the National Institute of Health, and Dr. Fauci, funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab with taxpayer money; and why the US Government, the so-called Free Press, Dr. Anthony Fauci and...
Last week’s Letter to the Editor “Wyoming is in a crisis” included several issues, one being the allegation that Trump would have been re-elected “if Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin had followed the national constitution instead of their ‘revised state constitutions’ concerning national elections,” and then conflates the popular vote with electoral votes. Unfortunately, that is incorrect. States alone determine how electors are chosen (Art 2, Sec 1, US Constitution) and whether they must follow the popular vote results for...
The people of Wyoming - smart people who voted for the good of Wyoming and our country - voted Trump. He would have probably been re-elected if Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin had followed the national constitution instead of their “revised state constitutions” concerning national elections. Congress should mandate law so that all states follow the national voting regulations on their electoral votes when it’s a national position. He was not convicted, but we must realize their agenda was to do just that so he could no lo...
Editors note: This speech was given by Charles Cooper during the Memorial Day Service for Liberty and then submitted as a letter to the editor. Today we come to remember not only all those who sacrificed much for the cause of liberty. On July 4, 1776, a dream was visualized in the Declaration of Independence that the United States would give all its people the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This new nation grew up with many growing pains. This new republic, though flawed, had a vision different from most nations. It was...
Something is “a fowl” here and it’s not backyard chickens. I’m not even saying I am right in every incident or presentation, however we need to be on the same page if we are to arrive at place of advancing the prosperity and well being of this town and all the people in this town. We’re just not having the same conversation. In the same meeting where I mentioned a family (in downtown Los Angeles) that makes $20,000 / year off of the same amount of property I currently possess, (using 5 chickens, 2 Goats and a few ducks), there was a request f...
I could not be more proud of the courageous stand Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow took in defying the introduction of the 1619 Project and Critical Race Theory in Wyoming schools. As a Sheridan County School District #3 school board member and mother of 2 future Wyoming students, I stand with the overwhelming majority of Wyoming parents; we love America and our heritage. We know that tomorrow’s leaders fill our school rooms. They must be equipped with absolute truth and guided by wisdom, not indoctrinated by the claims of s...