The
Insider
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 18, 2016
Issue # 1138
FISH LAKE – Volunteer Couple Needed - Summer 2016. Challenge yourself … Try something new … and have fun doing it by becoming a volunteer! Join the Fishlake National Forest family and orient visitors to recreational opportunities at Fish Lake and surrounding areas. Cabin overlooking scenic Fish Lake or a trailer/RV pad with hook-ups provided. Small volunteer reimbursement offered. For more information, call 435.836.2811 or 435.896.1024. — Fishlake National Forest Fremont River Ranger District
Local Citizens Form New Organization in Wayne County
Do you...Skijor?
Volunteers Needed in Fishlake National Forest
Carol KraCht
Nate Waggoner shows his skijoring style at Escalante's Desert Downs race track as Dave Treanor gallops along the course on Bing. ESCALANTE - The sport of skijoring is the new rage in snowy lands, and Back Country Horsemen of Utah, Canyon Country Chapter and numerous friends enjoyed a
glorious day of skijoring in Escalante on Sunday, February 7th. Skijoring is, generally, where a person on skis or a snowboard or other conveyance is pulled by horse or by dogs or by some other ani-
Snow Goose Festival February 26th & 27th
Thousands of Geese to Fill the Skies at Gunnison Bend Reservoir
mal or motorized contraption. There were brave skiers, bold snowboarders, and laughing children on sleds, pulled by galloping horses for a day of fun in the snow and sun. The group is perhaps not quite ready for the international skijoring competitions held in Canada, Scandinavia or Russia, but they had a darned good time, anyway. YeeHaw! —Carol Kracht
WAYNE CO. - A group of residents of Wayne County is pleased to announce the formation of the Wayne County Taxpayers Association (WCTA). The organization was formed out of a desire to know more about how the county works, and especially its tax and finance system, and a belief that many others in the county have the same desire. WCTA is a non-profit, non-partisan, educational and civic organization that aims to increase the public's understanding of local tax and government issues so they may make more informed choices about county government activities and the future of Wayne County. Our goal is to inform and educate rather than advocate for specific positions, not unlike the League of Women Voters. WCTA has developed Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation, and has submitted those documents seeking federal recognition as a 501(c)(3)
non-profit and state recognition as a charitable organization. You can learn more about the association by visiting WCTA's web site - www.wcta. biz - where you can also gain access to important county documents and reports. We have nearly 100 members at the moment. Membership is confidential and completely free! We welcome anyone and everyone in the Wayne County to join; we are ALL taxpayers and the more representative WCTA is of the entire county the better. To join you need only to send an email to <info@wcta.biz> including your name. Members will vote annually on elections to the Board of Directors and shall have direct input into the issues WCTA will cover. If you have any questions, or care to suggest issues WCTA should investigate, you are invited to communicate via the email address above. —Wayne County Taxpayers Association
Is Solar Energy Right for You?
lynn ChamBerlain, Utah division of Wildlife resoUrCes
Watch the sky turn white. See as many as 20,000 snow geese during the Snow Goose Festival. DELTA - It’s a sight you have to see to believe: thousands of snow and Ross’ geese lifting off Gunnison Bend Reservoir amid honks and the beating of wings. You can see this spectacle yourself on Feb. 26 and 27 at the annual Delta Snow Goose Festival. The festival will be held at and near Gunnison Bend Reservoir, just west of Delta. Admission is free. As many as 20,000 geese—mostly snow geese— have been at the reservoir during past festivals. Except for the black tips on their wings, snow geese are pure white. The festival is a fun activity for the whole family. “We’ll provide spotting scopes so you can get a close look at the geese,” says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “We’ll also be available to answer any questions you have.” You can learn more about the festival at www.deltagoosefestival.com.
The areas where you’ll see the geese vary according to the time of the day. Walters says if you arrive early in the morning, you can watch the geese feeding in fields that surround the reservoir. Then, between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., the geese take off and fly back to the reservoir. “That’s an exciting time to see and hear the geese,” he says. After landing on the reservoir, the geese usually spend the next few hours there. “Then, anywhere from 4 to 6 p.m., they take off again and fly back to the fields,” Walters says. “It’s thrilling to be there when the geese take off.” DWR biologists will watch which fields the geese fly to. If you arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, the biologists will direct you to the fields where the geese are feeding. Viewing tips: • Use binoculars or a spotting scope to view the geese. If you get too close to the geese, you could scare them
REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA
THURS. FEB 18 - WED. FEB. 24 STRONG WINDS expected Thursday and a chance of rain, high of 50. Sunny and warm Friday through Monday with highs in upper 50s. Cloudier and warming further Tues/Wed with highs in low 60s. Lows all week in the low to upper 20s.
away. • If you pull off the road to view the geese, pull as far off the road as you can. And watch for cars. • The weather could be cold and wet. Bring the proper clothes so you can stay warm and dry. —DWR
Biggi Blondal
A solar power system installed by Thousand Lakes Solar. TORREY - The cost of installing a photovoltaic system is now more affordable than ever, and when you factor in the available tax credits, it is starting to make more sense to a growing number of people. If you are interested in owning your own source of
renewable, clean energy, and save money at the same time, read on. There are three basic types of systems to consider. First, there are off grid, stand alone systems with battery storage. These are generally used by people that live in re-
American Flag Honoring Philip Priska Raised on Highway 12
CoUrtesy ellen davis
HENRIEVILLE - The Escalante Post 114 American Legion and Daughters of the American Revolution Honored Philip Ronald Priska by providing a Regimental Battle Flag for Title of Liberty Mountain, sometimes known as Sand Ridge, just west of Henrieville. On your next drive on Route 12 remember all those who gave and give, so you may live free. —Daughters of the American Revolution What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. —Christopher Hitchens
mote areas where connecting to the grid is not feasible. The second are grid-tied systems without storage. Garkane Energy will install a special meter that spins both ways. When the sun is shining, your system will provide you with free electricity and if you produce more than you use, it is sent to the grid and you will build up a credit on your account and at the same time lessen the load on the grid. At night you will be buying electricity from the grid. The third adds battery storage to a net metered system to even further reduce your dependence on the grid. Right now, there is a Federal tax credit available for 30% of the total installed system cost with no cap. This credit applies equally to residential and commercial systems. The State of Utah also offers a 25% residential credit with a cap of $2,000.00. For commercial installations, the credit is 10% with no cap. In
ALL content for THE WAYNE &GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted on FRIDAY BEFORE 5:00 PM to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper.
BOXHOLDER
Solar
Cont'd on page 2 PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID RICHFIELD, UTAH PERMIT No. 122