The Wayne & Garfield County Insider April 18, 2024

Garfield County Commission

Apr. 8, 2024

GARFIELD CO.Roads were a big issue in the April 8 Garfield County Commission meeting. Public Works Director Dave Dodds reported that the Red Canyon $1M construction and maintenance partnership with Forest Service is now completed. Dodds called this a win-win for both Forest Service and the county; the Forest Service can cut red tape by contracting with the county, and the county gets paid for its services.

The Hole in the Rock (HITR) Road continues to be a maintenance nightmare. Dodds said three years ago their crew crushed and hauled gravel and graded five miles of HITR; two years ago, they did another five miles. Each time, they spent over $200K. He hopes the new GSENM Resource Management Plan includes a proposal to Garfield Commission Cont'd on A6

Grace Christian Church Welcomes New Interim Pastor

An aerial view of the Utah Beef Producers facility, a brand-new beef processing plant located in Richfield, which opened for operations on Thursday, Apr. 10, 2024.

RICHFIELD - Every now and then, a business comes along that, from its conception, is all about changing the way things are done.

Season Begins at Glen Canyon NRA

Glen Canyon remains open to visitors every day, year-round. Some visitor services closed for the winter have already been reopened, and the remainder will reopen mid-April. Spring season operational changes will be implemented at the following facilities in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. In the Wahweap Dis-

Utah Beef Producers (UBP), a brand-new beef Courtesy Henry Barlow

processing plant located in Richfield, opened for operations on Thursday, April 10. Along with making a major commitment to Utah ranchers by providing infrastructure, at scale, for beef processing, they

Boulder PC Holds Average Lot Size Ordinance Workshop

by Tessa Barkan

BOULDER - On Thursday, April 11, the Boulder Town Planner, Lee Nellis, led a workshop for participants to explore how the recently adopted average lot size ordinance could work in practice.

trict, the following visitor services have reopened for the season: restrooms at the Wahweap Picnic Area and at the parking lot for beach access across from the Wahweap Campground, the outdoor drinking fountains and fishing cleaning stations. The Wahweap boat pump reopened on April 15. Restrooms at the Wahweap Main Ramp and Stateline Ramp have remained open throughout the winter season.

Goals from the town’s General Plan were discussed, including the relevant goals of keeping agricultural fields open, watered and productive; and to create housing opportunities for seasonal and low to moderate income individuals.

Goals of landowners were also discussed, in-

Workshop

Cont'd on B4

are matching their physical operations with a vision of “redefining the beef industry’s future, one steak at a time.”

Bold statements like this—from their Web site— as well as others related

to local empowerment, a commitment to the highest standards of low-stress animal management and environmental sustainabilUtah Beef Producers Cont'd on B3

TORREY - As spring moves forward, so too will Pastor David Schuh—of Torrey's Grace Christian Church—and his wife, Vivien, as they move on to another exciting life adventure. Dustin Davis will now take on the role of Interim Pastor, but Schuh will still carry on as Senior Pastor. “[Vivien] and I will surely miss this amazing area, the loving hospitality and most of all the lifelong friendships that have been built here,” said Schuh in an email. “Grace Christian Church began its roots in February of 2014, and we know that God will continue the work He has started here in Wayne County. We are so thankful for the support of the communities, and we know that this little church will remain and continue to grow.” Davis, his wife, Erica, and their six children live

Interim Pastor Cont'd on A2

60 Foot Crack Found in Panguitch Lake Dam; Officials Declare State of Emergency

by Jaynie Connor

PANGUITCH - With Spring Break coming to an end this weekend, Panguitch locals Chris and Brandy Burns and their children, Ruger, Miley, and Kimber, decided to take a trip up to Panguitch Lake on Sunday,

Courtesy Brandy Burns

April 7th, to see if the ice was starting to melt around the edge. They made some fresh tracks on the snowy road in their Jeep, noticing no one had gone down near or around the dam. They got out of their car to see if the shoreline had started to melt away and to snap a few photos of the family. “Seems like every spring that we get a

Cont'd on B2

NPS Photo Peter Krocek

Lone Rock Beach is a popular primitive camping area with both vehicle and boat access to Lake Powell. At the Lone Rock Primitive Campground, primitive camping is available year-round.

Interim Pastor: Grace Christian Church began its roots in February of 2014, and we know that God will continue the work He has started here in Wayne County. We are so thankful for the support of the communities, and we know that this little church will remain and continue to grow.

Pastor

Schuh, Grace Christian Church Senior Pastor

Spring Season: The arrival of spring comes with annual changes to services and operations at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Glen Canyon remains open to visitors every day, year-round.

Spring Season

Cont'd from A1

At the Lone Rock Primitive Campground, primitive camping is available year-round, and entrance and camping fees may be paid at the selfservice machine located at the entrance station. Campers are encouraged to provide their own portable toilet system. As a reminder to visitors, it is prohibited to bury waste of any kind on the beach. On April 15, the following opened for the season: micro-flush toilets, restrooms, showers, and potable water. The recreational vehicle (RV) dump water will be turned on and the number of open vault toilets will be increased.

At the Antelope Point Public Launch Ramp, on April 15, additional vault toilets opened.

At Bullfrog, the following are open: picnic area restrooms, Bullfrog

boat pump out, outdoor drinking fountains and fishing cleaning stations. There are no clinic operations at Bullfrog until a new contract is awarded. The opening date for the clinic will be shared when available. In the meantime, National Park Service Visitor and Resource Protection Rangers are responding to emergency calls as they are able.

At Halls Crossing, the launch ramp public restrooms are open. The boat pump out was installed this winter and is useable as of April 15.

At Hite, all services have been closed until further notice. For more information: https:// www.nps.gov/glca/learn/ news/20240111.htm

At Lees Ferry, the fish cleaning station and RV dump are open. The campground restrooms and main ramp restroom have remained open throughout the winter season. The lower campground rest-

room is anticipated to open April 26 and the upper one will close for renovation. The renovation project is scheduled to be completed May 17.

In addition, some National Park Service and concessioner-operated facilities will increase hours of operation during the spring season. For the most up-to-date details about seasonal hours of operations and facilities and services that remain open or are closed for the season, please visit: www.nps.gov/ glca/planyourvisit/seasonalhours.htm.

For concessioneroperated facilities hours, please visit the concessioner webpage at: https:// www.nps.gov/glca/learn/ management/concessionaires.htm.

Visitors are encouraged to recreate responsibly by following the helpful guidelines available here: https://www.nps.gov/ planyourvisit/recreate-re -

sponsibly.htm. More safety information is available here: https://www.nps.gov/ glca/planyourvisit/safety. htm

The park wishes everyone an enjoyable and safe spring season!

—National Park Service

(Left) Pastor David Schuh, of Grace Christian Church, and his wife, Vivien. (Right) Grace Christian Church Interim Pastor Dustin Davis and his wife, Erica. David and Vivien Schuh will be moving on to their next life adventure, and Dustin Davis will take over as Interim Pastor of Grace Christian Church in Torrey.

News from Wayne County The Torrey Canal

by Adus F. Dorsey II

Torrey Canal stories abound. In the early days, baptisms were performed in the canal, sometimes whether you were a churchgoer or not. Most Big Apple dances were never complete without someone, sometimes many, ending up drenched in the canal. On any given summer day, a rope swing that was lovingly installed by the Lee family is still in use today and makes Torrey a place to visit and remember.

WAYNE CO. - About five “old town” Torrey citizens showed up for the annual turning in of the canal water. In the minds of many, the yearly local event is highly celebrated, anticipated, and is a godsend. There is no doubt about it that, to long-time locals, water is a way of life. “Water turns things green,” and if you don’t believe it, just ask Jed Pace, premiere Torrey Canal Watermaster. For a month or more before water enters the ditch at a secret place only known to a few, wearing rubber boots that reach his hips and sporting a shovel with about hundred notches on it, Jed can be found cleaning the empty canal in preparation of a new growing season. Once the gate is open, Jed and his crew lead the way for the life-giving water to make its way into and through Torrey Town. With pitchforks that have seen tons of hay, and sweat dripping from their brow, any debris left in the canal flies out of the ditch in a fashion only a farmer can understand.

In stories shared from the well-worn wooden bench in front of the Chuckwagon, early day lots and farms in Torrey received water from Sand Creek, and then later on through a rudimentary canal diverted from the Fremont River at the narrows south of the old Grist Mill. Like just about everything else in Torrey, building of the canal was a long and arduous process for the people that wanted, and needed, water that lived in Torrey.

As was the case with all things financial in the early days of Torrey, the town’s folk lacked adequate funds to buy the pipe, but with many nightly prayers and the efforts of the good Latter-day Saints of the time, residents of Torrey who were anxious to have the town established came together to provide, free of charge, twelve hundred feet of twelve inch pipe to the Torrey people. The pipe was to be delivered by wagon to Sigurd. By 1908, the pipe had been painstakingly installed, and water was on its way to Torrey Town. But like everything else that has ever happened in Torrey, it was not without challenges.

Like it was meant to be, along comes a man by the name of Robert Peden, a Scottish stonemason that was well-known for his skills with stone. Drawing on his Swedish fortitude, and with a true act of faith, Robert was charged with cutting a five hundred foot section of the ditch through a solid rock shelf using only a pick-ax and the help of his trusty mule.

The monumental project, stone by stone, crack by crack, took ole Robert six years to complete. Today,

Ancient records, buried someplace at Boulder Mountain Realty, show that it was a man named Homer McCarty that sighted and plotted the route through the rocky terrain west of town for the original survey of the Torrey canal; the year was 1898. Those hallowed canal records state that the Torrey Irrigation Company was incorporated in 1902 when an application was made to the State of Utah for water. Upon approval, immediate work began on the canal, and within a few years, the canal was completed on the south side of the Fremont River so that people on ranches and farms west of Torrey could put the Fremont River water to good use. To get water to the Torrey bench, it was apparent and necessary to pipe it across the Fremont River north at Cigarette Hollow, and, as in her written history, Fontella Pectol fondly remembers: “Cigarette Hollow, one of the wonders of our world. The wind never blew in Cigarette Holler. Travelers coming to and from Torrey were always anxious to reach this magical place to light their cigarettes and build a fire to boil water for their coffee without the interference of the wind. Although the history of Cigarette Holler is rarely remembered, the designated name of Cigarette Holler has stuck through the years.”

the rock channel that Robert cut through the red rock ledge is still visible west on Sand Creek road, and it still bears his name—“The Peden Cut.”

As is usually the case with water, it soon became visibly evident that the twelve-inch pipe across the river was way too small. So, in all their wisdom and foresight, the Torrey Irrigation Company shareholders came together and installed a two-foot wooden pipe, made of two by four planks, beveled and wrapped with wire. This wooden pipe replaced the smaller twelve-inch pipe in 1912. Prior to the Great Depression, and in the year 1922, a three-foot pipe was installed for half the distance, approximately six hundred feet. Then in 1928, it is remembered by some, long since past, that nine hundred feet of three-foot metal pipe replaced an equal amount of the wooden pipe.

Every spring, the Torrey Canal is cleaned and prepped for the ceremonial event of “the turning in of the water.” (Thank you, Jed Pace.)

Torrey Canal stories abound. In the early days, baptisms were performed in the canal, sometimes whether you were a churchgoer or not. Most Big Apple dances were never complete without someone, sometimes many, ending up drenched in the canal. On any given summer day, a rope swing that was lovingly installed by the Lee family is still in use today and makes Torrey a place to visit and remember.

Much appreciation and gratitude goes out to Janet Hansen for preserving and sharing the Torrey Canal History, and to many others that continue to keep the history and sense of community alive in Wayne County.

*Contrary to what anyone might try to tell you, Dickey Pace was not present when the Torrey Canal was being built.

Adus F. Dorsey II

What to Do Upon the Death of a Loved One

One of the greatest challenges in this life is the loss of a loved one. Unfortunately, in addition to the terrible, emotional strain associated with this loss, there are many legal issues that must be addressed.

This article attempts to provide a brief checklist of some of the legal issues that should be addressed upon the passing of a loved one.

Legal Documents:

Determine whether the deceased left a will, trust or other documents to take effect upon death. Whether there is a will or trust will effect how the estate administration should proceed. If there is no will or trust, state laws will govern the administration process. It should be noted that powers of attorney that may have been used while the decedent was alive terminate upon death.

Individuals Cared for by the Deceased: Minor children or incapacitated adults that were being cared for by the deceased must have someone else appointed to take care of their needs. Usually, a court will appoint a guardian and/or conservator for the minor or incapacitated adult. This person can be designated in the deceased’s will.

Inventory of Assets: It is very important to locate all of the deceased’s

by Jeffery J. McKenna

assets and ensure that they are protected and sufficiently insured. Secure and inventory family heirlooms, antiques and other personal property items of value. If the deceased lived alone, it may be wise to promptly change the locks on the home. In doing an inventory of the assets, it is helpful to take photos or videos.

Payment of Creditors: Determine that there are sufficient assets in the estate to cover funeral expenses and other debts before paying any bills. If some creditors are paid and it is later determined that there are insufficient assets to pay others, there can be problems.

Social Security: Contact the social security office to determine what benefit, if any, may be available for the surviving spouse and/or minor children.

Tax Returns: Often, state and federal tax returns including the deceased’s final 1040 income tax return, the estate or trust’s 1041 income tax return, and possibly an estate tax return must be prepared.

The preceding is a brief list of some of the items that should be considered upon a loved one’s death. Although proper estate planning can do much to minimize and help simplify procedures at death, there are legal issues that must be addressed when a

Comics

John was starving. He was stuck in a small hick town, lost and hungry. He was happy when he saw a small restaurant coming up on his right. John quickly pulled over, parked his car, and walked inside. John noticed a blackboard with a sign written in yellow chalk, “Today’s Special: Vegetable Soup with Fried Chicken and Grilled Vegetables.”

“I’ll take the special,” said John to the waiter when he came to take his order. A few minutes after receiving his order, John called over the waiter, he was fuming mad. “IS THIS THE SPECIAL!? It says vegetable soup, BUT THERE ARE NO VEGETABLES! It says grilled vegetables, BUT THEY AREN’T GRILLED THEY ARE BAKED!? And it says fried chicken, AND THE CHICKEN ISN’T FRIED!?

As a first

loved one dies. An estate plan that addresses and minimizes these legal issues is truly a wonderful gift for those that are left behind.

teacher, I often hear from my students things going on in their family. Harry’s mother was expecting, and, naturally, Harry was very excited about it.

When one day Harry stopped talking about it, I was concerned and questioned him why.

“Well,” Harry said, “my mother told me I could feel the baby moving in her stomach,; I think she ate it!” Special

Did you hear that somebody spiked the punch at a roof designer convention? The next day, everybody had a terrible overhang.

The waiter was not used to city folks and their attitudes, and frankly he was not going to put up with this behavior. “My dear man,” said the waiter looking down at John over his glasses, “that is what makes it so special!”

Obituaries

Maurine Skougard

LAS VEGAS, NV / PANGUITCH - Maurine "Moe"

G. Skougard of Las Vegas died peacefully on Friday April 5, 2024, at the Legacy Memory Care Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her sons Gary and Mark sat beside her as she took her last breath. She was 88 years old.

Maurine was born August 4, 1935, in Panguitch to S. Lamar and Clara Giles Worthen. She grew up in Panguitch on her family's farm. She met the love of her life Lawrence Marvin Skougard in Parowan and married him on March 9, 1952. She and her husband moved to Las Vegas where they built a loving home to raise their three sons: Glen, Gary and Mark.

Maurine worked in the banking industry for 30 years, retiring from Nevada State Bank as Vice President of Operations in 1995. Many knew her as Moe or Momma Moe. Maurine was also an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. She loved her church and her church callings. But above all else, Maurine's love for her family served as her greatest gift of all. She had a sparkle in her eye when she was with her family. Her greatest title was Grandma. Maurine left a lasting impression with all those she crossed paths with, and she will be forever loved and missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her three sons: Gary W. (Denise) Skougard, Las Vegas, NV; Mark W. Skougard (Kathydeceased 2018) Las Vegas, NV; Marvin Glen Skougard, Richfield; sister, Etta (Steve) Stephens, Bluffdale; 13 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, 4 great-greatgrandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Maurine was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Lawrence Marvin Skougard (2003); parents: S. Lamar and Clara Giles Worthen; siblings: Jerry Worthen, Scott Worthen, Karen Nay, and their spouses.

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday April 20, 2024 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1825 N. Hollywood Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89156. Visitation/Viewing 09:00 - 11:00 a.m. Funeral service 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Graveside services will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the Panguitch City Cemetery, 290 S. Cemetery Road, Panguitch, Utah. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com.

Maurine's family would like to thank the staff and caregivers at the Legacy House located at N. Durango in Las Vegas NV, and her team of nurses from Brighton Hospice for all their support and the loving care they gave to Maurine and our family. The phrase "Love one another" is so wise and powerful. By loving one another, we invest in each other and ourselves. Perhaps someday, when we need someone to care for us, it may not come from the person we expect, but from the person we least expect. God bless our caregivers and nurses.

We love you, The Skougard Family

This weather has been teasing us, with there being some really good days that are then ruined by the wind kicking in. Of course, the big news all over the country was the crack in our dam. Our daughter, Kelly, got a call from a friend in Florida wanting to know if all was well here in town. When the crack was discovered, it really set off a great emergency system. People were delivering papers on what to do if the dam gave way and the escape routes to take. People were looking out for their neighbors and the many single folk in town that might need rides. One company in St. George offered their four dump trucks, and another company offered any equipment that might be needed to control the leak.

This is my idea of what happened, and that is only worth two cents. The

original dam was built in the 1870s to hold back the water in Panguitch Lake for irrigation of the fields or whatever at that time. Over the years, they raised the height of the dam for more water storage—the last time was in 1942. Not too long ago, the gate gave way and had to be replaced. The new gate was two feet higher to allow for more water storage. At the time of the gates' replacement, they drained the Lake way down. With the drought, it took many years till the Lake finally filled, which was last year. This year, the Lake freeze was really deep, and with the terrible winds pushing the ice against the dam, it broke. It is a horizontal leak, about 60 feet long, but is only about three feet from the top, which was what was added back in the 40s. What they are doing now is lowering the Lake down about five feet, which

will be below where the leak was. To allow for the spring runoff, I am sure they will continue to keep the level of the Lake below the crack.

Emergencies like this are why you should love living in Panguitch, with so much help to keep you safe.

Last night was the junior prom, and, talking to a parent, it was a huge success. There are 41 kids in the Class of 25 and many helped with the decorating of the fair building. It took a couple of weeks to put it all together, and they did a grand job. The class did have a fun time dancing to the music of the 60s.

We had a couple of military funerals this week. I have said before that I have been keeping track of the people that I know that have fallen for the last two years. The number is up to 54, and many of the falls involved broken bones, arms, legs, ankles, and pelvis bones. However, this last one caused a death. Most of the falls weren't caused by the ice, and were mostly from the person losing their balance or tripping. If you are alone, you might get one of those alarms that can notify help.

USU Extension to Host Remote Workforce Summit in Richfield, May 10

by Shelby Ruud Jarman | Utah State University Extension

RICHFIELD - The Utah State University Extension Remote Online Initiative has partnered with Snow College to host a Remote Workforce Summit on May 10 at the Snow College Richfield campus.

The summit is designed for people who work remotely, those who want to work remotely, and companies that hire remote workers. It will feature valuable networking opportunities and breakout sessions focused on landing remote jobs and gaining skills to become valuable remote workers.

“Each year, we teach hundreds of rural residents the skills needed to become successful remote work-

ers,” said Paul Hill, USU Extension professor and director of the Remote Online Initiative. “This event is a terrific opportunity for past participants and anyone interested in remote work to meet in person with other remote workers, sharpen their skills for finding a remote job, and meet companies that hire remote workers. It'll be a fulfilling day."

I don’t know how the GOP presidential election came out, but I can only assume what happened. I saw some voters complaining that they didn’t get to vote. The Dems had 58,000 votes for President Biden. We are the only state that has RFK that will be on the ballot. I don’t know when the nomination for all of the other offices will take place, or when you can sign up to run for office. I usually find that out after the filing date is closed.

Logan Mallory, vice president of marketing at Motivosity, will deliver the morning keynote address, and Bethany Coates, CEO of BreakLine Education, will deliver the closing keynote address.

The summit will take place at the Sevier Valley Center on the Snow College Richfield campus. Registration for the summit is $25. Lunch is included, and parking is free. Companies can sponsor the event or host booths at the exhibit. More information and event registration can be found on the Remote Workforce Summit website on extension.usu.edu.

Featured topics include advanced resume skills, operations at a remote-first company, productivity insights and tools for remote workers, LinkedIn networking skills, personal finance strategies for remote workers, freelance and e-commerce opportunities, personal branding, and more.

Obituaries

Nena Flo Law

Utah will be having a new professional team to go along with the Jazz. It looks like Arizona’s ice hockey team is coming here. The name of the team is the Coyotes, which is a better name than the Jazz that came from New Orleans. It will be played at the Delta Center till another arena can be built. It also looks like SLC will be getting the 2034 winter Olympics, also.

My wife has already started her gardening. It looks like Ace has everything for planting, and they also have plants and trees. Orton’s supply has some great fertilizer that will green up your lawn, but you will have to start to mow in a weeks’ time. Also the nursery north of town has some great plants and trees. There isn’t such a thing as the good old days; it's only what you make do with in the future.

Mack O.

TEASDALE - In Loving Remembrance: Nena Flo Law, of Teasdale, transcended this life April 5, 2024, surrounded by the deep love of her whole family, at home, held in her daughter’s arms and her oldest grandson's hands; she left her mortality behind and lifted herself to embrace her only son, Thor Larsen, who recently passed into the spiritual realm, Jan 21st.

For 90 years, Nena walked, danced, sang, talked and painted her way through this colorful world, sending ripples of flowerful goodness to everyone around her, especially those of us who were her family. Nena’s art expressions flowed from her like a fountain, thousands of watercolor paintings, sketches, children’s book illustrations, music, art and craft books, photo albums and greeting cards of her paintings, which are still sold at local gift shops: The Old House in Torrey and the Capitol Reef gift shop.

Nena loved nature, especially the wild diversity of Wayne County and the remote areas of Southern Utah. She and our dad, Mark Larsen, moved to Teasdale in 1963 with their 3 children: Nonia, Erica and Thor. We all fell in love with Teasdale and its families who rooted here, and kindly worked together to survive, to raise animals, grow food, raise healthy kids and keep the town infrastructure running through all the 7000 feet weather extremes.

For nearly 60 years, Nena hiked the backcountry of this region, rock hunting, painting, and exploring very remote areas. Long before there were ATVs, busloads of tourists and paved roads in the area, Nena personally experienced nature in its pristine undisturbed quietness and inward-heavenly luminescence. The brilliance of the divine design inside of all natural life was our mom’s inspiration, and like her name Flo, it flowed from her in everything she gave to her family and the world. She always said, “Never leave a trail, pick up after yourself, make things better than the way you found them, and always do your very best. You get what you give, so give well.” She cracked jokes to the day she began to transcend, remained grateful at all times for everything good, was free-thinking, open-minded and a true sovereign lady. She left this life the way she lived it, in a Golden Circle of Love. Nena left a legacy of folks who love her beyond words, including two daughters, Erica Larsen of Teasdale and Nonia Larsen of Clearwater, Idaho, 11 grandchildren, 16 greats, dozens of nieces, nephews, and a big circle of soul-family kin who she inspired teaching kindergarten for 23 years, leading children’s choirs and dance performances, art shows, and community groups.

On April 8th, Nena’s body was given back to the earth by her family, naturally without chemicals, in a handmilled cedar & pine coffin lovingly made by her grandsons, buried in the forest on family land where the sound of her posterity’s love and laughter will be heard for generations as the Circle of Love is carried onward, in respect and gratitude for all our ancestors.

Where to Eat...

Where to go in Wayne and Garfield counties for great food and drink!

Panguitch

Garfield Commission: The Red Canyon $1M construction and maintenance partnership with Forest Service, Hole in the Rock road, a chipseal project for part of John's Valley Road, temporary forest road closures, Community Impact Board funding, and an ongoing range study discussed.

Garfield Commission Cont'd from A1

improve HITR, ideally being chipsealed like the Burr Trail, which is significantly cheaper to maintain. Dodds said the three-year average of cars/day is about 450, with weekends seeing 1500 vehicles.

A chipseal project is planned this summer for part of John’s Valley Rd. Dodds said he’s planning to apply for funding to asphalt some sections, though maybe not this year. Dodds said only about half the expected Class B road funding came to fruition this year. The formula for funding is partly based on road miles, but population gets calculated in. Commissioner Pollock said the diminished Class B revenue provides the basis of the roads budget. However, costs— road equipment, parts, fuel prices, oil for road—have doubled.

County and Forest Service roadwork ties together in places. Powell District Ranger Chris Wehrli said there will be several temporary forest road closures due to snow melt/muddy conditions. These closures will be lifted as soon as roads sufficiently dry. He said the 2-3 week period after the snow melts is particularly troublesome as some drivers think they can negotiate the roads and end up stuck in mud. Besides having to rescue these drivers, the damaged roads require additional repair. One area, East Fork Rd., was so damaged by spinning

wheels that Dodds said the chipseal beneath the snow will need replacement.

Commissioner Pollock pressed Wehrli for a commitment on federal funds to apply toward an additional grader or snowplow. Wehrli said due to an office vacancy, his district is temporarily unable to handle any funds, including the ability to sell permits out of their Panguitch office.

Farm Bureau representatives, headed by Garfield County President Allen Henrie, summarized their activities in fighting for rural issues and noted the importance of residents participating in that process. Both Henrie and Pollock restated their mutual commitment, with both County Commission and Farm Bureau helping each other at the legislature.

Commissioner Jerry Taylor suggested a state level Farm Protection Board or more work on developing agricultural protection zones in their ordinances.

In other reports, Commissioner Taylor mentioned Community Impact Board funding, most recently $2.6M awarded for a truck route around Circleville and a $5M loan for San Juan County Hospital. He’d like every project to have signage saying the funds come from mineral extraction. Taylor also said follow-up meetings with SITLA and state parks will hopefully result in expanding the state park, allowing grazing, and protecting Promise Rock by Cannonville.

Commissioner Pollock noted the ongoing range study commissioned by Garfield and Kane Counties. He said, “To this day, only one science study since 1996 has ever been initiated on the GSENM and that [is being] done by Garfield and Kane Counties to prove through a professional consultant that we’re [grazers] not damaging the range. We're actually studying range conditions, run-off, showing where range improvement project [such as PJ removal] are a blessing to the land. They've done no science study whatsoever.” [Reporter’s note: https://gsenm.org/scienceblog/ contains information on current science studies on the monument.] Business Licenses approved: Scenic Utah Rentals, Hatch; Family Adventure Cabins, Panguitch Lake; Double H Handyman Service, Salt Gulch; and a beer license for Milby's Burger Barn, Panguitch Lake.

The Commission went into closed session.

The Garfield County Commission meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month starting at 10 a.m. All meetings are held in the County Courthouse in Panguitch. There is no set up for electronic participation, but all meeting recordings are uploaded to the Utah Public Meetings Notice board, https://www.utah. gov/pmn/.

—Insider

Capitol Reef Where to Eat...

Schools and Sports

Panguitch Trackster Annie Yardley Notches Five First Place Finishes in One Week

by Nancy Goude

KANAB / MILFORD -

It was a big week for Panguitch’s Annie Yardley as she competed in the freshman and sophomore meet at Kanab on April 10 and in the Milford Invitational on the 13th. Yardley dominated the underclassmen’s meet in Kanab with a trio of first place finishes and ended the week with wins in the 400 and 3200 meter races.

Panguitch also got two first place finishes from Ta-

betha Henrie in the 800 and the high jump, while Brooke Albrecht raced to the top spot in the 1600. The 4x400 relay team collaborated for a first place finish to lead the girls to the top spot out of 13 teams and powered the combined boys and girls teams' first place finish overall. Bryce Valley’s Clay Gray also competed in both meets with three wins at the Kanab meet and leapt his way to wins in the long and high jump in Milford.

Panguitch teammates Koda Bridges and Trentin Keele took first in the discus and 110 hurdles, respectively, to lead the Bobcats to a third place finish in the boys’ competition.

The freshmen duo of Xander and Artorius Griffin continued to be multi-event competitors for Escalante. The brothers both competed in the 800, 1600, discus and shot put.

by Mack Oetting

It looks like the Bobcats are going to rule track and field again this year.

The Cats won the combined score meet at Milford, with the girls taking 1st and the boys taking third.

For the Lady Cats, Ta-

betha Henrie won the high jump, Brooke Albrecht took 1st in the 1600M, Annie Yardley took first in the 3200M.

For the boys team, Trenton Keele won the 110M hurdles, and Koda Bridges won the discus.

Many of the boys went to the prom, but Coach Norris says that we have the top three runners in the hurdles.

There will be a track meet this Saturday at North Sevier, and I should have better results from that meet.

Freshman, Sophomores Shine at Kanab Meet

by Nancy Goude

KANAB - On April 10 in Kanab—on what many in attendance called the nicest day it’s ever been for the annual freshman and sophomore track meet—the 9th and 10th grade members of track teams from Bryce Valley, Escalante, Panguitch, Valley, Milford, Hurricane and

third place finish in the 400, sixth in the discus, seventh in the shot put, and ninth in the 800 meter race.

Davis earned sixth place in the 300 hurdles and the 800 meter race, eighth in the 1600, and fourteenth in the 200.

The competition in

“Our athletes are putting in the work and are out there trying to improve each meet. It is fun to see them grow and meet their goals,” said Escalante Coach Adam Griffin.

The Moquis head to the North Sevier Invitational on April 20 and the Delta Meet on April 27.

For full results, visit insiderutah.com.

Escalante’s Kira Roberts brought home 22nd in the discus, 23rd in the shot put and 46th in the 100 meter race for the Moquis.

Southwest Utah Sterling Scholar Competition Winners Announced

ST. GEORGE - One hundred and seventy-two students representing nineteen high schools com-

in the annual Southwest Utah Sterling Scholar

the campus of Utah Tech University in St. George Utah, on March 28, 2024. This regional competition is coordinated by the Southwest Educational Development Center.

competed based on personal achievements and awards compiled in their portfolios, as well as their interviews with the judges. The students were judged on scholarship, leadership, community service, and citizenship. The three judges in each category came from local communities, Utah Tech University, and Southern Utah University.

After the interviews, an Awards Ceremony was held in Utah Tech’s Burns Arena. Students and their parents were welcomed to the UTU campus by the Associate Provost Darlene Dilley. Dr. John Taylor served as the Master of Ceremonies where the winners and runners-up were announced. Winners and runners-up received a sterling silver pin and a

sizable college scholarship provided by the Deseret News, KSL, and the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation. Colleges and Universities in Utah offer additional scholarships to both the winners and the runners-up. Winners and runners-up can be seen at https://ss.sedck12.org/.

The fifteen categories of the competition included: Agriculture Science, Business and Marketing, Computer Technology, Dance, English, Family and Consumer Sciences, World Languages, General Scholarship, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Science, Speech and Drama, Trade and Technical Education, and Visual Arts.

—Sterling Scholar Awards

Kanab all shone in the sun and the spotlight.

In the freshmen competitions, two athletes picked up a trio of wins each to lead their teams. Panguitch freshman Annie Yardley racked up wins in the 400 and 800 meter races and launched a 74-2 toss to win the javelin, while Bryce Valley’s Clay Gray had winning leaps in the high jump and long jump and sprinted to a top finish in the 100 meter race.

Notably, Yardley took the top spot in each event she competed in, while Gray also competed in the 200 but finished second.

Three Escalante freshmen, Asa Davis, Artorious Griffin and Xander Griffin, all had a hefty slate of events for the day—each one competing in four different events.

Xander brought home a fourth place finish in the 1600, fifth in the 800 and a pair of sixth finishes in field events, the discus and shot put, respectively.

Artorious raced to a

the freshmen boys’ portion of the meet was fierce, with the largest number of athletes in each event.

Escalante sophomore Peter Baksis sported shades and made it look easy as he took first place in both the 400 and 800 meter races, and Panguitch’s Tayt Miller garnered two first places finishes in the girls’ side with wins in the 100 meter race and the 110 hurdles.

The Moquis had solid efforts from the duo of sophomore girls, Clara Peterson and Kira Roberts. Peterson finished third in the 1600 meter race, sixth in the discus, and ninth in the shot put. Roberts took seventh in the shot put and eighth in the discus.

Escalante’s Lonnie Barney-Lyman placed tenth in the javelin, eleventh in the shot put, and sprinted to a seventeenth place finish in the 100 meter race to round out the Moqui efforts.

For full results, visit insiderutah.com.

Courtesy Sterling Scholar Awards

The 2024 Southwest Utah Sterling Scholar competition winners have been announced. Collin Stewart (left), of Bryce Valley High School, was announced as runner-up in Agriculture Science. Skyler Ott (right), also of Bryce Valley High School, was announced as runner-up in Family and Consumer Science.

peted

competition on

Each of the students

Nancy Goude

Escalante's Peter Baksis sprints toward the finish line for the win at the Kanab Freshman and Sophomore meet on April 10. Baksis won the 400 and 800 meter races for the sophomores.

Courtesy Nancy Goude

Escalante's Xander Griffin hurls the shot put in one of the four events he competes in for the Moquis.

Panguitch Dam: We want to get past this emergency situation, and get the dam to a stable level, then the next step for us is to address reservoir management through spring run off so we don’t get into this emergency condition again…After we get through the runoff we will evaluate and assess the damage and what caused this and then effect a permanent repair to the dam.—Everett Taylor, Assistant State Engineer of the Division of Water Rights Over Dam Safety

Panguitch Dam

Cont'd from A1

good snow pack, the water comes up over the top of the dam. Initially that’s what we thought it was doing,” stated Brandy, “While I took some pictures of the girls, Chris went over to take a closer look at the dam and said ‘that’s not good, it’s leaking right there in that seam.’” They gathered their family back into their car and quickly left the dam area. When they got back into Panguitch, they reached out to some other locals who contacted John Talbot, the vice-president of West Panguitch Irrigation Company. The crack in the seam at the dam happened to be sixty feet long. Water was starting to come through and tilt the dam wall downstream. Officials are saying that the crack could have been caused by the sheet of ice that sits on top of the lake, combined with the wind from the previous week’s storm. The excessive winds pushed the heavy ice against the dam like a battering ram and started to crack the newest portion of the dam. The dam has also started to leak in lower, older portions as well. The Panguitch Lake Dam is owned and operated by West Panguitch Irrigation Company, whose current president is Allen Henrie. The dam was first built in 1872 and has been added to throughout the years, including modifications in 1942, as well as a gate repair in 2011. The dam is assessed yearly by inspectors and engineers and was deemed satisfactory in its last inspection. If the dam were to break, Panguitch City would have roughly two hours before the water reached town. Panguitch Creek, which runs through half of the town, would quickly fill with water and cause a catastrophic flood.

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Panguitch City, West Panguitch Irrigation Company, and Garfield County Officials were quick on their feet to get a plan in place. On April 8, Sheriff Eric Houston and the GCSO promptly

shut down Highway 143 from Panguitch Lake to Panguitch, a precautionary measure in the event that the dam did not hold, declaring this a Level One Emergency Situation. This also allowed officials and equipment to travel up and down that road with ease, and did not put locals or tourists traveling on that road in danger. The Sheriff’s Office also released a public notification informing residents of the road closure, and stated that “the damage to the dam was not severe enough to warrant immediate evacuations.”

On April 9, the incident was raised to a Level Two Emergency Situation due to potential risk in the dam’s integrity. Engineers from the state arrived on scene to assess the damage. Following this, GCSO released an informational sheet on how to prepare for a possible evacuation, and what the next steps were. This document was quickly printed out and the youth of Panguitch gladly stepped up to deliver the information to everyone in town, knocking on every door and leaving them with the flyer. The flyer encouraged residents to stay informed, contained the evacuation plan, prompted them to check their emergency kits or to put some together, and to inform others in the area that may not have received the information. They also encouraged residents to follow the dam’s progress on the county website.

When asked what they are doing to prepare for a potential evacuation Brandy Burns answered, “It’s the unknown that is scary, the possible ‘what-if’s’. We’re just trying to be prepared like the rest of the community and stay informed. We’re staying on our toes, we have basic necessities ready, and are preparing to evacuate if needed. All while trying to keep our anxiety at bay and go about our daily lives as much as possible.”

State and local officials continued to watch the progress of the dam, and to come up with an action plan to stop any further damage to the dam’s integrity. On April 10, local communications company South Central Communications

(SCC) and Garfield County road crews bravely stepped in to help. Under the direction of officials, SCC used a Ditch Witch to cut the ice sheet near the dam into smaller sections. By doing this, the weight and force of the ice pressing against the dam was lessened. The road crews then placed large boulders, rocks and debris along the back side of the dam to support the weight where the 60 foot long crack had compromised the structure. This wall of debris is 12 feet wide in some areas. Meanwhile, further down from the dam, Panguitch City workers traveled up and down Panguitch Creek working tirelessly and clearing debris from canals and streams that could inhibit or change the course of water flow, should the dam break.

At 2:00 p.m. on April 10, an emergency Garfield County Commission meeting, led by Commissioner David Tebbs, was held in the Garfield County Courthouse to declare Garfield County and Panguitch City officially in a state of emergency. Commissioner Tebbs has stated to the public, “Don’t panic…that opens up funding sources from the State/Federal Government for these kinds of situations, that is a necessary step.” This gives the county access to the Red Cross and other emergency venues if needed. Towns across the county are prepared and ready to take in members of Panguitch City if evacuations are necessary. He finished up by saying, “Remember, no plan is perfect, if we’re prepared we don’t need to fear…calm your fears, there will be help.”

At 6:00 p.m. on April 10, an impromptu Town Hall meeting was held at Panguitch High School and was broadcasted online on Zoom, as well as by KUTV. Wade Matthews, Public Information Officer for the Utah Division of Emergency Management, conducted the meeting in order to bring all the response partners together to provide information to the public so that they could make informed decisions on how to prepare themselves. Speakers included Panguitch Mayor Kim Soper, Garfield County Sheriff and

Incident Commander Eric Houston, Sergeant Ben Cox of Utah Highway Patrol, Garfield County Commissioner David Tebbs, Jess Anderson, the Commissioner of Utah Department of Public Safety, Assistant State Engineer of the Division of Water Rights over Dam Safety Everett Taylor, Garfield County Public Works Director Dave Dodds and West Panguitch Irrigation President Allen Henrie.

Mayor Soper started out the meeting by saying how grateful he is to his community. He has received phone call after phone call, from people in and out of town, asking how they can be of service. He encouraged citizens, in the event of an evacuation, to cooperate with officials, and stated, “It behooves all of Panguitch to be prepared and know what’s in the evacuation plan.” The Mayor also made it known that there are sandbags available to the public behind the LDS Stake Center located at 550 S. 100 W. in Panguitch to prepare for flooding.

To relieve the amount of pressure on the dam and the water levels at the lake, they have opened the dam up in a controlled release, releasing up to 258 cubic feet per second into Panguitch Creek. By doing this, water is now traveling down into the town of Panguitch. Officials made it very clear that the public should use caution and stay away from around the creek, as the water is moving very swiftly and is at high levels. Garfield County Sheriff Eric Houston has made it known that his priorities are, “life safety, property preservation, scene stabilization.” He encouraged residents to

sign up to the alert system in the event they would need to use it for an evacuation, which can be found on the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office website. If there is an evacuation, they will signal this with the use of police, fire, and ambulance sirens, as well as going door to door. If residents leave their home in the evacuation, the GCSO and the Red Cross are asking that they place “something green” in their windows to signal that no one is in the home and that they have left.

Utah Highway Patrol has been tasked with the evacuation of Panguitch, both the residents and the schools, should the dam break during school hours.

Sgt. Ben Cox has made evacuation maps available on the county website, as well as the school district website. He encouraged residents that are evacuating to head east towards Hatch, or, if the water has not yet reached town, then to head north. The road north out of Panguitch has a bridge that crosses Panguitch Creek and, in the event of a dam break, may be impassable. He reiterated, “I would like to remind that this is something we have time to do. This can be orderly, we have time.”

In summary, the Panguitch Lake Dam is currently being strengthened and the risk of a dam breach and flooding is lowering. They are releasing water to lower the level of the reservoir in a controlled way so there is no flooding or damage. They will continue to do this for the next couple days. They have relieved pressure from the ice sheet on the dam. The road crews have stabilized the downstream portion by

placing rock and material across the dam, slowing the flow and stabilizing the dam wall. Engineer Everett Taylor addressed the town by saying, “We want to get past this emergency situation, and get the dam to a stable level, then the next step for us is to address reservoir management through spring run off so we don’t get into this emergency condition again… After we get through the runoff we will evaluate and assess the damage and what caused this and then effect a permanent repair to the dam.” He also stated he is encouraged with the progress that has been made on the dam so far and by the cooperation of city, county, and state efforts. For now, the dam is holding, and the Panguitch community is feeling blessed to have so many people step in to support them in their emergent need.

This article was originally published on insiderutah.com on Apr. 12, 2024, and represents the most up-to-date information as of April 11, 2024.

On Friday, April 12, 2024, an evacuation notice for Panguitch and surrounding areas was lifted due to the success of mitigation efforts, and SR 143 has been reopened, with the exception of portions of the road that will remain closed until further notice.

Officials will continue to monitor the dam and are encouraging residents to be cautious around Panguitch Lake and the Panguitch water canals due to high water levels, and to remain prepared and informed in the event that the situation changes.

SWUPHD is Offering Free Prediabetes Testing & Virtual Class in April

SW UTAH - Did you know that about one-third of American adults have prediabetes and 80% of them don't know it? The Southwest Utah Public Health Department is offering free testing for prediabetes during the month of April 2024.

Prediabetes happens when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With simple lifestyle changes, prediabetic people can reverse the path to type 2 diabetes, so getting tested is important. The first step is to complete a short questionnaire (found online at swuhealth.org/diabetes).

If you score a 5 or above and have never been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes before, call your nearest health department office (see numbers below) and make an appointment to get a free A1C test. An A1C is a finger-prick blood test that shows if you’re in the normal, prediabetic, or diabetic range. You’ll be provided with information on what to do next, depending on your results. After April 30, A1C tests at the health department will return to their original cost of $25. Health Department of-

RECA compensation ($50,000 for qualifying downwinders) and its scheduled expiration. Applications and information will be available to get anyone who qualifies started on the compensation process. Information will also be given about bills that have been submitted to Congress to extend the law.

Meetings will be held at the following dates and sites:

• Friday, April 19, 2024: St. George Cancer Center Precision Genomics Auditorium, 600 S. Medical Center Drive, Building 7, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2024: Kanab Public Library, 374 North Main

Street, 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.

• Saturday, April 20, 2024: Hurricane Public Library, 36 South 300 West, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Qualifying cancers include:

• Leukemia Multiple Myeloma

• Lymphomas, other than Hodgkin’s Primary cancers of the: Pharynx, small intestine, salivary gland, brain, stomach, urinary bladder, colon, thyroid, pancreas, female or male breast, esophagus, bile ducts, liver, gall bladder, lung and ovary. Everyone is welcome to attend. For questions please call 435-251-4760.

Utah Beef Producers: Potentially, anybody that’s interested in direct marketing now has an option for a USDA inspected processing facility. If you combine that with the development of the internet over 30 years, there’s a lot of potential for beef producers to take a stab at marketing their own product. The opportunity is greater right now than it’s been in my lifetime. It really is a big deal.—Trent Wilde, Director of Utah State University Extension for Wayne and Piute counties

Courtesy Henry Barlow

ity, have gotten the attention of everyone from local ranchers to officials in Utah’s highest reaches of government.

At UBP’s official grand opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 30, more than 2,000 people attended to check out the new facility.

“It was amazing,” said Utah Beef Producers owner Henry Barlow, in response to the level of public interest.

Cont'd from A1 cows in my life to see a massive problem building for over 50 years in Utah. If you go back 50 years, we finished cows here. If there’s 200 ranchers in a room, somebody’s saying ‘somebody ought to do something about this.’ And I’m just stubborn enough [that] I decided to do something about it,” said Barlow. “We’d like to be able to cut out the middle-man and return more dollars to the farmer and rancher so, generationally, that operation continues,” said Barlow.

Barlow says he built the plant to resolve a problem. Namely, that hundreds of thousands of Utah-produced cows leave the state to be fed out and processed in the East. As a rancher himself, he says, “I’m a guy who cares, and I have a chip on my shoulder about the four companies who have taken over animal production.”

These four companies are Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill and National Beef Packing.

What this means is that most Utah ranchers raise beef in a cow-calf operation, where animals are sold at auction or contracted to buyers who ship the animals out of state for finishing, which eventually end up in the hands of one of these four meat packers. What Barlow sees in this model is a loss to ranchers of much of the value of the product they’re producing. “God put just enough

The Utah Beef Producers processing facility provides the option for processing USDA-inspected beef, which can be sold direct-to-consumer under a private label. UBP will also purchase cows for processing under their own Utah Beef label. The facility can take just a few cows, or hundreds, with the capacity to process 150 per day, alleviating long wait times many ranchers have experienced for cattle kill dates. “The overall concept—everyone’s really excited about it,” said Trent Wilde, Director of Utah State University Extension for Wayne and Piute counties. “Because this conglomerate thing has been so difficult. The processing side of the beef industry for years has consolidated with a handful of processors, so trying to direct market beef has been very difficult, because there was no place to process beef.”

“Potentially, anybody that’s interested in direct marketing now has an option for a USDA inspected processing facility, Wilde added. “If you combine that with the development of the internet over 30 years, there’s a lot of potential for beef producers to take a stab at marketing their own product. The opportunity is greater right now than it’s been in my lifetime. It really is a big deal.”

Barlow says he sold one of his own ranches to capitalize the new facility. “I’ve been willing to put myself out there, and I’ve been impressed by other people, seeking out answers on design and techniques,” he said.

However, when visiting other slaughter operations, he says he saw “a bunch of what I did not want to do. I’ve been through slaughter facilities and usually when you walk through a slaughter facility you come out the other end a vegetarian,” said Barlow.

It was at a farming conference that Barlow attended that he was first introduced to Temple Grandin, when he heard her speak during a session. Grandin, a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, who lives with autism, is a well-known author and expert on animal behavior. Describing herself as a “visual thinker,” Grandin is credited with transforming the slaughter industry through design improvements and development of more humane practices for managing and moving animals, based on her understanding of how animals experience their world.

Barlow was so impressed by Grandin’s talk that following the conference, he traveled to Colorado to meet with her. “As a person blessed with autism she could see things from the animal perspective. That’s what’s given her the ability teach us. What a great example she’s been,” said Barlow.

Grandin inspired in Barlow ideas related to plant design and animal management. For example, a key element at UBP is the use of air cylinders rather than hydraulic cylinders for moving animals. “Air has forgiveness. Air cylinders will nudge where hydraulic cylinders would crush.”

been working on final construction details at the plant prior to opening. Brinkerhoff attended Bridgerland Technical College in Logan, going through an eight-month training program to learn how to cut meat. He learned of the opportunities at UBP through a teacher and landed the job, where he says he’ll be involved on the kill floor and meat cutting.

“It’ll be a good experience for people looking for work, bringing jobs to Sevier County and even to Garfield County. It’ll be a good opportunity for me to get experience in the industry; it’s a good thing for me to come up here and learn,” said Brinkerhoff.

to cattle. “There’s a lot of people who think methane from cows is going to kill the planet,” said Barlow, and he says feeding biochar leads to improved gut health and significantly reduced methane gas releases from animals.

Barlow describes the "knock box," where an animal is killed, as a “sacred space.” Here, an animal is stabilized and secured, Barlow says, “so you absolutely have no misses. It’s instantaneous that you kill that animal. We put care and detail into this. We want to have someone in our barn managing that barn, when that animal takes its final breath, we want someone who cares.”

Barlow says UBP is positioned to bring greater value to local producers and to grow jobs in the region. “AI is decimating white collar jobs. Some of the best jobs will be in the trades, for people willing to roll up their sleeves, who are willing to do something. Young people are leaving ag because they think we have to do it the same way we did it for the last 50 years. The technology means we can do things more proficiently than our dads and granddads did.”

TJ Brinkerhoff, a native of Tropic who graduated from Bryce Valley High School in 2019, is already employed by UBP and has

Besides serving as a benefit to ranchers, Barlow’s intentions include innovative practices toward sustainability The plant will have its own water treatment facility, allowing water to be recycled and saving millions of gallons annually.

And Barlow adds, “We’ll be the first to produce biochar out of our plant waste. The benefits are, for one, we’re not filling up the landfill.”

Biochar is a form of charcoal formed in a lowoxygen environment—and the product can be used as a fertilizer or even fed back

With all of the effort put into new innovations at the UBP plant, Barlow is building-in education as a key component of the facility, and he’s even added a classroom, located in an elevated position above the kill floor. “I could see the perfect place for it, and then I stalled on it for three months because it cost an extra seventy-thousand dollars to do this. Finally, I told my staff it’s too important not to do, and told them I’m ordering the steel—I’m going to do it.”

“Our product is more than just beef,” said Barlow. “We’re in the people business, and beef is a byproduct. Starting with how animals are received, and then in the barn, people can have a good influence and you can have a great outcome. An amazing thing we’re seeing is that we together—a city, a county, a state, and the ranching community— we’re able to work together for the common good.”

—Insider

Courtesy Henry Barlow

Jim Grover, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO); Jason Adamson; Henry Barlow, UBP Owner; Michelle Weaver, USDA; Ralph Brown, Sevier Co. Commissioner; Bryan Burrows, Richfield City Mayor; Forest Turner, GOEO for Sevier Co.; Utah Rep. Carl Albrecht; U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy; and Scott Johnson, Sevier Co. Commissioner; at Utah Beef Producer's official grand opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 30. More than 2,000 people attended to check out the new facility.

Henry Barlow, owner of Utah Beef Producers. Utah Beef Producers

97-2203 (a24040):

97-2202 (a24039): William J. Lockhart Living Trust is/are filing an extension for 0.75 ac-ft. from groundwater (Lot 5 Black Boulder Mesa Prop) for DOMESTIC; IRRIGATION.

IRON COUNTY

CHANGE APPLICATION(S)

61-1190 (a51478): Blake L. and Delise F. Sartini Family Trust, Blake L. Sartini & Delise F. Sartini Family Trust propose(s) using 0.4453 cfs OR 40.404 ac-ft. from the Underground Water Wells (3) (West of Panguitch Lake) for DOMESTIC; IRRIGATION; OTHER: 0.508 acre-feet for evaporation on three (3) fish culture ponds.; STOCKWATERING.

WAYNE COUNTY NEW APPLICATION(S)

95-5523 (A84165): David Arbon propose(s) using 0.015 cfs OR 0.25 ac-ft. from groundwater (Notom (8 miles SE of Fruita)) for DOMESTIC. CHANGE APPLICATION(S)

95-388 (a51511): Bicknell Town Incorporated, Bicknell Town Incorporated propose(s) using 1.19 cfs from groundwater (Bicknell) for MUNICIPAL: In Bicknell.

Workshop: On Thursday, April 11, the Boulder Town Planner, Lee Nellis, led a workshop for participants to explore how the recently adopted average lot size ordinance could work in practice.

Participants sat at tables, each with a map of a different area of Boulder.

cluding profit, providing housing for family members, operational flexibility, conservation, and marketability. The average lot size ordinance supports the combination of both General Plan and landowner goals.

First, participants considered how to develop the land on the map with the five acre minimum lot size and one house on each lot. With this directive, there is minimal flexibility for how a parcel can be developed.

Lots are split up into five

Legal Notices

acre segments without regard to irrigated areas.

The next activity was to consider how to divide the same area using average lot sizes. The same number of houses and lots are allowed on the same acreage. For example, a thirty acre lot with the five acre minimum would allow six lots, and the same thirty acres divided using the average lot size ordinance would still allow six lots, however, they could be of different sizes with an average lot size of five acres. A means of using this that would support maintaining open space could be putting five one-acre lots on non-irrigated land or the edges of the original parcel, and then having a larger twenty-five acre lot that keeps the irrigated land intact.

An example was given of an existing nearly fortyacre lot in Boulder, where much of the lot is on a steep section of slickrock. In this scenario, with the five acre minimum, dividing into eight lots would include unbuildable lots, whereas with the average lot size ordinance, more buildable lots would exist.

Further steps that the town could take, which are not included in the current ordinance, were then discussed. Pooled development rights would allow

a landowner who owns multiple lots to use development rights from one lot on a different lot. An example of using this to support irrigated land is if someone owns twenty acres of irrigated land, they could transfer development rights to a separate parcel that they own without irrigated land. Development rights could also be sold between landowners. A minimum lot size could be decided on, and this minimum size could vary based on the area of Boulder, for example having a smaller minimum lot size in areas with denser tree cover. Concerns with transfer development rights were discussed. Property owners who have unbuildable land (for example due to slick rock) could potentially sell development rights to someone with buildable land. This could increase town density.

Landowner bonuses were discussed. Incentives could be in place to encourage landowners to develop in ways that comply with general plan goals, for example allowing one additional lot for each ten acres of irrigated land protected. Incentives could also be in place to encourage affordable housing. An ordinance that included bonuses could help promote General Plan goals but could also increase density.

Comments were made regarding attainable housing, including how to define it; that the main way lower income Boulder residents are buying land is through a landowner selling to them below market, and that being able to split off a parcel smaller than five acres, as allowed in the minimum lot size ordinance, can support this continuing to happen; and whether bonuses could be in place to support this kind of sale. The Planning Commission will continue to discuss these options. They meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.