The
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Serving Wayne & Garfield Counties, Utah Loa • Fremont • Lyman • BickneLL • teasdaLe • torrey • Grover • Fruita • caineviLLe • HanksviLLe PanGuitcH • PanGuitcH Lake • HatcH • antimony • Bryce • troPic • HenrieviLLe • cannonviLLe • escaLante • BouLder
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Issue # 1136
Local Park Service Staff Serve Country While Protecting Our National Parks by amanda arnold
Courtesy amanda arnold
Kathleen Gonder, center, received the Patriot Award on January 19 for her support as a supervisor of a park employee serving in the U.S. Army Reserve. She is shown with Mr. Earl Slack (left) and Mr. Brian Roanhorse (right). BRYCE CANYON N.P. The National Park Service Staff at Bryce Canyon is indeed diverse and very talented. There are some employees who also serve through the Reserves or the Army National Guard. Brian Roanhorse, Visual Information Specialist/Interpretation at Bryce Canyon National Park, is also a Citizen Warrior with the U.S. Army Reserve and is an active mem-
ber with the 91st Training Division in Fort Hunter Liggett, California. Duties for Mr. Roanhorse at Bryce Canyon National Park include creating the park newspaper called “The Hoodoo,” managing the park social media page, producing high quality visual signs, and more. Because of the support from the National Park Service, and his supervisor, Kathleen
Garfield County Tourism Office Awards $50,000 to Support Local Events
Courtesy Garfield offiCe of tourism
The Bryce Canyon airport's annual fly-in and open house is one of 19 events that received funding in 2016. PANGUITCH - The Garfield County Office of Tourism in January awarded $50,000 through its Event Funding Program to help local nonprofit organizations host community events in 2016. “Community events serve a valuable purpose for both residents and tourists,” said Falyn Owens, director of Garfield County’s tourism office. “Not only do these events boost local businesses, but they also draw visitors throughout the year—not just during our peak season.” Most of the 19 events that received funding were awarded the maximum of $3,000, which can be used toward promotional expenses and the hard costs associated with putting on an event. When compared to last year, the tourism office awarded $7,500 more in 2016 and included four additional events. “A main goal of the Event
Funding Program is to encourage visitation at attractions other than our most popular sites,” Owens said. “Promoting tourism in our smaller communities is a vital component to growing our tourism economy.” A handful of newcomers made the list this year, including the Escalante Antique Car Show, the Panguitch Lake Big Fish Derby, Glen Canyon National History Association, Panguitch Truck Show and Escalante Family Working Ranch Rendezvous. “Most of the organizations have limited resources and couldn’t even begin to think about putting on these events without the help of the funding program,” said Dana Waggoner, owner of Escalante Outfitters and member of the Garfield County Travel Council, the tourism office’s gov-
Local Events Cont'd on page 3
REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA
THURS. FEB 4. - WED. FEB. 10 MUD IS ON THE WAY. Following our lovely snow is the inevitable sunny, warm period. Thurs/Fri will be cloudy with highs in the 30s, then warming to the 40s and sunny Sat through Wed. Lows this week in the teens, 20s.
Gonder, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services, Bryce Canyon National Park, he is able to fulfill his duties to serve our country. “Her continued support has given me peace of mind knowing that when I leave for Battle Assembly, I know my family is safe, secure and supported by the NPS Family,” Mr. Roanhorse said of his supervisor. He added that he is able to attend monthly Battle
Wayne School District Superintendent Torgerson to Retire BICKNELL - Superintendent Burke Torgerson, the Wayne County School District Superintendent, announced his plans for retirement from that position effective July 1, 2016. Superintendent Torgerson handed his notice of retirement to the Wayne School Board in the January 13, 2016 Board Meeting. Superintendent Torgerson is a native of Wayne County and has been employed by Wayne School District his entire career. He was employed as a new teacher and spent the first two years teaching sixth and seventh graders at Wayne Middle School. He was then transferred to Loa Elementary where he spent the next thirty-four years. Torgerson spent the first eight years with different assignments at Loa. He taught second through fifth grades but most of the years were spent teaching third grade which he loved more than any other. Mr. Torgerson was given the opportunity to become the principal at Loa Elementary and spent the next twenty-six years as the school administrator. Twenty of those twent-ysix years were spent as a teaching principal. With the extra demands on teachers and administrators through the implementation of the No Child Left Behind federal legislation, “Mr. T” as he was always Torgerson Retirement Cont'd on page 3
Utah Opera Artists to Perform in Garfield County
Assembly drills, and his time off allows him to support his unit and their mission to protect our country. On January 19, 2016 Ms. Gonder was honored with the Patriot Award, which is sponsored through the nationallyrecognized Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve organization. The Patriot Award was created as a recognition of employers who honor such measures as flexible work schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence. For Ms. Gonder, it is very rewarding and important to support Mr. Roanhorse’s service in the Army Reserves. “We support his commitment to serve by giving him the time required away from work. His commitment is a priority for us,” she said. While Mr. Roanhorse has not been deployed during his employment at Bryce Canyon, he has in previous positions. Therefore, he knows how important it is to have a supportive employer because it strengthens families. The time off before and after the monthly Battle Assemblies is priceless. “It gives me time to travel to my unit and come back. It also gives me time to set my mind to the missions coming up,” he said. Earl Slack, member, State Employer Support of the Serving Country Cont'd on page 2
GARFIELD COUNTY Southern Utah students can enjoy live professional opera in their own schools when Utah Opera Resident Artists perform for them February 3-12, 2016. During their tour, Utah Opera Resident Artists will offer age-appropriate performances of the lively and colorful “Who Wants to be an OPERA STAR?” for elementary schools, “Opera 101” for secondary students and “Opera Up Close” for high school choirs and college students. They will
also perform evening community concerts in Springdale and Panguitch. Based on the format of popular game shows, “Who Wants to be an OPERA STAR?” allows the visiting artists to teach the fundamentals of opera to younger students. The artists act as contestants who demonstrate their answers with vocal selections while the children serve as Utah Opera
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Utah Opera’s resident artists and will tour southern Utah communities offering age-appropriate performances of the lively and colorful “Who Wants to be an OPERA STAR?” for elementary schools, “Opera 101” for secondary students and “Opera Up Close” for high school choirs and college students. They will also perform evening community concerts in Springdale and Panguitch.
"Hold Still..."
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Brent Bonner holds his little dog, Gracie, as she is tended to by Dr. Kevin Ballard during Escalante City's annual veterinarian clinic held at the city offices on Saturday, January 30. In all about 60 dogs and cats came for vaccinations and checkups, and the city assigned more than 35 dog tags as a result of the clinic. ESCALANTE - Dogs of all shapes and sizes—and even a few cats—were treated to vaccinations and checkups during Escalante City's annual veterinarian clinic held on Saturday, January 30 at the Escalante City offices. Dr. Kevin Ballard, of Kanab, and two of his staff members, Michelle Gurr and Katie Anderson, assisted with intake and treatment of more than 60 animals during the morning session, which lasted from 9am to noon. “It sure is convenient, these guys coming here to do this. There’s been a line since this morning,” said Rick Green, who, with partner Amie
Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off. —Franklin D. Roosevelt
Fortin, was waiting to have their dogs Sam and Tolo looked at by the doc. The clinic focused largely on vaccinations, but Dr. Ballard also provided other services and consultations. One large dog, Jace, was trotted back and forth to check out a limp, and another little guy, Moki, had his nails trimmed. "Now that he's older he just gets so upset I can't do it anymore," said his person, Ruthanne Oliver. City staff member Debbie Allen was on hand to assign rabies tags for dogs who received their vaccinations. She said that they completed at least 35 tags during the morning. Dr. Ballard conducts the
clinic every January in Escalante, and also conducts a clinic every third Tuesday of the month in Panguitch at the Triple C Arena. He is also available to conduct farm and at-home visits for both small and large animals, including horses, llamas and cows. "I'll go anywhere in the area," said Dr. Ballard. "The most important thing for home visits is for folks to line up a whole day's work in one town or in the area." Dr. Ballard has recently built and moved into a brand new veterinarian facility east of Kanab. Their office can be reached at 435-644-2400. —Insider
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PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID RICHFIELD, UTAH PERMIT No. 122