thePyramid We A r e S a n p e t e . c o m
We A r e S a n p e t e . c o m Sanpete County sees first COVID-19 cases An Edition of the
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RICHFIELD — Central Utah Public Health Department (CUPHD) has confirmed the first positive cases of COVID-19 in Sanpete County. Three cases have been confirmed in the county, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Central Utah Health District to 17, according to a Central Utah Public Health Department press release. Two of the individuals are between the ages of 40-60, while the other is between the ages of 18-25. All three individuals are currently recovering at home in Sanpete County. These cases were contracted from exposure to an individual within the Central Utah Health District who was later con-
firmed to have COVID-19. “While we were able to identify the point of exposure for these cases, these cases highlight the active nature of COVID-19 within our health district. As cases continue to increase, it is essential that our communities remain vigilant in their efforts to practice proper social distancing, take protective measures when in contact with others, and to stay home when sick.” said Nate Selin, CUPHDs Health Officer. Close contacts of the confirmed cases are being contacted and will be advised to self-quarantine. CUPHD staff will actively monitor these individuals for symptoms and
Thursday, April 23, 2020 • Vol. 129, No. 17 • 75 cents
refer them to testing if symptoms develop. CUPHD continues to encourage testing for individuals who have symptoms. As of press time, Juab County has four cases, Millard, five; Sanpete, three; Sevier, five. Wayne and Piute counties have no cases so far. Only one case from the Central Utah region has been hospitalized and no deaths reported. Testing guidelines have been expanded, and anyone who exhibits even one of the following symptoms is asked to get tested for COVID-19. Symptoms include, fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches and pain, sore throat, and loss of sense of taste or smell.
Anyone who is symptomatic, should contact their medical provider or one of the COVID-19 hotlines at 1-800-456-7707 or 844442-5224 to be referred for testing. “Testing for COVID-19 is the best method for limiting spread of the virus by quickly identifying confirmed individuals and having them isolate at home to ensure they don’t spread it to others. If anyone is symptomatic in any way, it is important that they stay at home and be tested as soon as possible,” Selin added. The most up-to-date information can be found at coronavirus. utah.gov or centralutahpublichealth.org.
Ron Mann, an orchardist, has spent many years in fruit production. Mann lives in Spring City and has taught many people in the area how to plant and take care of fruit trees. In this artist rendition, Mann shows how to rid apple and pear trees of the Codling Moth and has also devised a method to rid borers from peach, nectarine and apricot trees.
Improve fruit tree Let light shine through in spite of pandemic production BY RON MANN
BY GLORIA ALBRECHT
MT. PLEASANT — The Coronavirus pandemic has been a revelation of sorts. It has become a political football, even as officials struggle to keep citizens safe, informed and economically solvent. As the stock market bottomed out several weeks ago Americans were told to stay home while businesses closed their doors. For many it meant no income, no benefits, and nowhere to turn. For a few it meant struggling with COVID-19 illness, and in the worst cases the death of a loved one. The media has flooded Americans with conflicting messages about testing, vaccines, treatments and the great “re-opening” of the country. Anxiety among Americans is soaring. Many states, including Utah, have cancelled the remainder of the school term. The future can feel uncertain for many Americans waiting for the new normal to unfold. For most it is the waiting that has become ominous. Not knowing how the mortgage will get paid, buy groceries and how long all of this will last has caused many sleepless nights. The responsibility of homeschooling children and trying to keep kids busy full-
time is overwhelming to many parents, some of whom are also working from home. Many people agree that life as it has been known will never return. But there is another side to this social upheaval. It is the human side. It is Americans reaching deep within their moral fiber to help others, to reach out in whatever way they can to ease the burden of anxiety for fellow human beings. All of us have been touched by someone who shines brightly, creating hope, easing stress, giving of themselves in this time of chaos. Face masks, a symbol of unity The shortage of face masks for medical professionals started a whole series of events, from stockpiles of masks being surrendered from other professions to business retooling manufacturing to create masks and face shields to homemade masks being created by the thousands. Suddenly the mask is becoming a fashion statement as DIYers get busy. Best of all, masks are now available to almost anyone who needs one. They have become the symbol of unity among people struggling to regain some sense of control, an icon in this war with the coronavirus.
Andrea Bocelli
Miranda Lambert
Celebrities share creativity Meanwhile, celebrities are reaching out to share their creativity, sometimes on a global level. Andrea Bocelli and the power of his voice sent an awe-inspiring Easter message in “Music for Hope: Live From Duomo di Milano”, a livestreamed concert that echoed around the world from the empty Duomo di Milano Cathedral in Milan, Italy. This historic event resonated with fans across the world, who watched the 30-minute performance more than 28 million times on YouTube within the first 24 hours. Since Easter Sunday, Bocelli’s concert has
been viewed more than 35 million times, making it the most-viewed classic music event in YouTube history”, according to USA Today. Andrea Bocelli said, “Thanks to music, streamed live, bringing together millions of clasped hands everywhere in the world, we will hug this wounded Earth’s pulsing heart.” Bocelli is one of the world’s great tenors and has been blind since age 12. Country stars sing too When the ACM Awards were postponed this month, it didn’t stop Please see SHINE, Page A6
House gives nod to hold primary entirely by mail amid coronavirus BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — In the face of a global pandemic, the Utah House recently voted to run an upcoming primary election entirely by mail and temporarily do away with traditional polling places. The proposal now goes to the state Senate ahead of the June 30 primary that will be key in choosing the next governor. A crowded field of candidates, including Republicans Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and former U.S. Russia ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr., are competing for the seat open for the first time in more than a decade. Lawmakers weighed in during their first virtual special session, held remotely to address the coronavirus pandemic that has caused widespread shutdowns around the country to try and halt the spread of the disease. The Legislature also considered proposals on everything from budgets to the balance of power during the meeting that continued Friday. Most of conservative Utah already
SCOTT VAN BLARCOM — STOCK.ADOBE.COM
In the face of a global pandemic, the Utah House recently voted to run the upcoming primary election entirely by mail and temporarily do away with traditional polling places. votes by mail, in contrast with the by-mail voting skepticism from national Republicans like President Donald Trump. “We’ve got a system in place that is already working well ... most people feel comfortable with what we have in place,” Republican House sponsor Rep. Jefferson Moss said. The bill would automatically repeal on Aug. 1, so in-person voting can return for the general election
in November. Counties still usually open polling places for people who want to vote in person, staffed by poll workers who are often older adults who are considered most vulnerable to the coronavirus. “The intent is not having a bunch of people on voting day crammed in a room,” Moss said. The bill would also suspend in-person early voting and same-day voter registration
and give staffers more time to count ballots to ensure they are safe. Counties will likely have drive-up boxes for people to drop their mail-in ballots, but officials are mounting a campaign to encourage people to send the ballots through the mail, with accommodations for disabled voters. The postmark deadline has been extended to Election Day. For people who don’t have or can’t afford a stamp, the Postal Service has pledged to deliver ballots regardless and work out payment with counties later, Democratic Rep. Brian King pointed out. Because it’s a primary election, only voters who are registered with a particular party will automatically get a ballot in the mail. Unaffiliated voters will get a notice telling them how to request a ballot. The proposal would not supersede court orders in San Juan County, where judges have ordered accommodations for Navajo voters who say by-mail voting puts them at a disadvantage because Please see PRIMARY, Page A6
SPRING CITY — Due to the early and hard freeze last October, many leaves on trees did not have a chance to evacuate the sugars, nutrients, from their leaves and send it to their trunks to store for this spring. That is why many leaves did not change colors and continued to hang on the tree all winter. As a result, all those fruit trees will be short the amount of nutrients needed for this year’s leaves and buds, which means tree leaves and buds will be small and in some cases will not produce any fruit. To compensate, Mann suggests spraying with a fruit foliar as soon as leaves appear. Foliar should be sprayed at least twice about 10 days a part ensuring the spray is applied to the underside of the leaves. The top of the leaves is mostly for protection of the leaf and the underside is where the nutrients will enter the leaves increasing the size of the leaf and buds, providing a larger surface for photosynthesis to bring nutrients from the roots. Although it is advised to fertilize at least three times a year, the foliar spray is about nine-10 times more effective than fertilizing around the base of the tree and should be done this year. One of the common problems Mann discovered in Sanpete County is that many of the fruit trees are hardly ever fertilized which results in small fruit and can also cause fruit to prematurely drop to the ground for lack of nutrients. For that reason, good fruit requires yearly fertilization. It is a common practice among most orchardists to fertilize at least three times per year. Mann recommends fertilizing in November or December, late February or March, and again in mid-June. By this method, food is provided to trees just in time to help them produce the wholesome and large fruit desired. Mann also recommends using at least one-year-old chicken or cow manure or fish oil from the eastern seaboard. Most fish fertilizer from Alaska seems to be made from heads, entrails and tails, whereas, fish oil from the eastern seaboard tend to use the whole fish. Lastly, an idea that took Mann more than two decades to discover was how to control the codling moth, which is the character that creates the worm hole in apples and pears each year. Codling moths hibernate in the soil and can be expected to take flight every 21 days. The moths can be controlled with some deadly chemicals, which Mann refuses to use, so he came up with an idea that Please see FRUIT TREES, Page A6
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