Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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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...
When I moved to Shoshoni, Wyoming in 1981, the town was well known for the fantastic milkshakes and malts served at the Yellowstone Drug Store. The Yellowstone Drug Store is no longer open for business, but that’s not to say Shoshoni isn’t well known for other things. A quick visit to Wikipedia.com reveals; “The town has gained notoriety as a speed trap due to numerous references citing its aggressive enforcement of traffic laws. According to available data, the town has a 32% ticket to resident rate, suggesting a disproportionate number of tr...
To Commissioner Galovich et al.: It’s come to my attention that County Commissioners have decided that if Hot Springs County’s bid for the shooting complex is successful that it will be sited west of the Red Lane neighborhood. This was also where you were going to site the trash transfer station. My question is why are you intent on sitting noisy, noxious enterprise above a quiet housing area? I’ve heard that a rifle shot fired from the proposed site is no noisier that the train going by. While that may be true the train goes through a few t...
Last week’s paper reported that the Hot Springs County Republican Party passed three resolutions. The first, requiring a return to hand counting ballots for all elections in Wyoming, should be summarily dismissed. All studies show that the error rate for voting machines is much lower than hand counts of ballots. Hand counting ballots would make Wyoming elections less secure. If you have questions regarding the safety of our voting machines and elections processes, please visit with our County Clerk who can outline all of the election p...
The recent lawsuit against the Boys’ School is a blow to youth welfare in our state and cruel, destructive slander against some of our neighbors, in my opinion. As a former employee at WBS, I saw firsthand how dedicated WBS staff are to helping young men. The alleged physical abuse is so out of character for the men primarily mentioned as to be laughable if not so vicious. Those dorm staff put themselves in harms way each day, take grotesque verbal abuse and physical attacks, but still are dedicated to giving young offenders a last chance to b...
I am disappointed with the way the Town of Thermopolis released the officer cam video of April 28, 2023, regarding the officer-involved shooting. The video was narrated by the Town and stated the officer had permission to cite or arrest. This is misleading at best. I refer you to the October 12, 2023, Independent Record article in which the Wyoming DCI Special Agent report is given in its entirety. Clearly, the officer in question did not have permission to illegally break down a door without a warrant, as laid out in the DCI investigation....
A Visitor From The Past: by Thelen Paulk I had a dream the other night, I didn’t understand. A figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand. His clothes were torn and dirty, as he stood there by my bed. He took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low, he said: “We fought a revolution, to secure our liberty. We wrote the Constitution, as a shield from tyranny. For future generations, this legacy we gave. In this, the land of the free and home of the brave. “The freedom we secured for you, we hoped you’d always keep. But tyran...
Well the statistics are in from the Wyoming Department of Education for the 2022/2023 school year. How did our School District really do, not what we are told by our school administrators? Ralph Witters Elementary: School performance rating / small school decision – meeting expectations Achievement Target Level – below target Achievement Normal Category – below average Thermopolis Middle School either meets or exceeds expectations in all categories Thermopolis High School was overall categorized as meeting expectations although in the categ...
