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, June 25, 2020
Temporary Closure of Blue Lake in the Barker Recreation Area GARFIELD COUNTY The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will conduct a sportfish restoration project using the pesticide rotenone in the Barker’s Recreation Area on the Dixie National Forest, beginning June 24, 2020. The project is identified as a priority in the Boulder Mountain Sportfish Management Plan, which was designed to maintain and, when needed, improve the quality, diversity and uniqueness of Boulder Mountain lakes. The rotenone treatment is aimed to rid fertile brook trout from Blue Lake, just north of Yellow Lake, Following the removal of fertile brook trout, a combination of sterile tiger trout and Colorado River cutthroat trout will be stocked back into the pond. Depending on their loTemporary Closure Cont'd on page 7
Issue # 1365
InsIder
Escalante residents, along with representatives of the Rural Utah Project and Kael Weston, democratic candidate for Utah's 2nd District, marched down main street in solidarity with worldwide demonstrations and protests. Here, Byron Ellis, candidate for Garfield County Commissioner, leads the march with the United States flag. ESCALANTE - On Fri- as Juneteenth, commemorates cal individuals began to orday, June 19, nearly seventy- the end of slavery in the Unit- ganize an event in support of five Escalante residents and ed States. Juneteenth, to show solidarity other supporters marched Organizers were galva- with other actions taking place down Main Street in Escalan- nized by the turnout and ener- nationwide. te in a display of support for gy of a June 5 rally and march Following behind a towthe Black Lives Matter move- in support of Black Lives Mat- ering US flag, the marchment. ter held in Boulder. Reaching Escalante March The 19th of June, known out through social media, loCont'd on page 7
DWR Biologists Discover Illegally Introduced Fish at Two Waterbodies in Southern Utah
courtesy utah dIVIsIon of WIldlIfe resources
During a spring survey at Panguitch Lake, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists found that Utah chubs had at some point been illegally reintroduced. Panguitch Lake had undergone treatment in 2005 to remove these fish. PANGUITCH - During their annual spring surveys, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists discovered something they hate to see —two more waterbodies had fish illegally dumped into them. In an effort to survey how fish populations are doing in various waterbodies, DWR biologists place nets in waterbodies across the state. They leave the nets in the water for a set amount of time, sometimes overnight, and then pull them in to examine the catch. They then count, weigh, measure and assess the condition of the fish caught in the nets. The biologists gain valuable data from these surveys as they learn how each species is doing. However, when a different species is dumped into a waterbody by someone wanting to get rid of an aquatic pet or by an angler wanting to introduce their favorite species
Wayne County Commission June 15
Escalante March in Support of the Black Lives Matter Movement Celebrates Juneteenth
into the lake or reservoir, it can wreak havoc on the ecosystem of that fishery. It is also illegal in Utah. “Any illegal introduction of a fish into a waterbody is harmful and can have numerous negative consequences,” DWR Sportfish Coordinator Randy Oplinger said. “Illegal fish species can prey on and outcompete other fish species, including sportfish, native fish and endangered fish species. They can also introduce disease and negatively impact water quality. It is very expensive and takes a long time— often requiring rotenone treatments that kill all the fish—to restore these waterbodies after fish have been illegally introduced there.” Biologists discovered Utah chubs in Panguitch Lake and found goldfish in Jackson Flat Reservoir during their spring surveys. They aren’t Illegal Introduction Cont'd on page 2
REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA
THURS. JUNE 25 - WED. JULY 1
Sunny, with slight chances of rain Thurs. and Sun. - Tues. Highs in the high 70s and 80s; lows in the 40s and low 50s. Winds variable from 13 to 19 mph. Chances of rain are 10 - 20 %.
Utah Legislature Presents FY 2020-2021 Budget Adjustments SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Legislature presented a modified budget, striking a careful balance between meeting immediate needs and preparing for the future during the Executive Appropriations Committee. Through a combination of targeted budget cuts and utilization of existing rainy day funds, the proposed, revised fiscal year 2021 budget puts Utah in a position to restart the state’s economic recovery and growth. Following an unprecedented health crisis, the revised consensus revenue projects a deficit of $93 million in one-time funding and $757 million ongoing funding in the general and education funds in FY 2020-2021. The Utah Legislature is committed to keeping its commitment to increase funding for education. The current budget proposal includes a 1.8 percent increase to the weighted pupil unit, in addition to $50 million in enrollment growth funded in the base budget. Additionally, $125 million from the CARES funding will be allocated to boaster online education and access. Education funding would increase by 1.3 percent overall, not including the enrollment growth included in the base budget. The proposed budget also aims to increase social services overall by 5.4 percent. The Utah Legislature is looking at options to only reduce the state budget by 1.7 percent during the pandemic, after using most of the state’s working rainy day funds. Budget Adjustments
by VeronIca egan WAYNE COUNTY - ID-19 pandemic, he has seen Commissioners Blackburn, a marked increase in people Brian and Wood, County At- using this stretch of road for torney Mike Olsen, Sheriff camping. Mike Olsen stated Jensen, County Clerk Ryan that for the county to abanTorgerson, and Director of don a piece of road, a public Economic Development Adus hearing must be held. ComDorsey present. The first missioners voiced support for agenda item was a discussion the measure, once the public of future improvements on the meeting requirement was Fishlake Cutoff Road. Larry completed. Johnson of Jones and DeMille Appointments to the Construction explained that Wayne County Water Conserthe funding source was going vancy Board were affirmed. to be switched from the Fed- Members of the Board ineral to the state government, clude Jeff Ekker for Hankswhich would result in fewer ville, Stan Wood for Lyman, restrictions. Mr. Johnson pre- Greg Coleman for Teasdale, sented a contract for the work, and Mack Morrell at large. to begin next summer, for The San Rafael Swell Commission approval, which Travel Plan was approved, was granted. with the addition of a stateNext came a presentation ment that no designated by Kerry Ekker of Hanksville, wilderness exists in Wayne who requested that an old, un- County, which is adjacent to used section of county road some new wilderness in Emthat runs through his property ery County. be decommissioned. There A group of three Happy was lengthy scrutiny of Mr. Ekker's maps. He stated that Wayne Commission with the onset of the COVCont'd on page 3
Intermountain Healthcare Addresses Significant Decrease in Patient Volumes and Revenue During Pandemic
UTAH - Like most businesses across the nation, healthcare systems and hospitals have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have taken unprecedented steps to deal with the impact of the global outbreak by postponing many surgeries and medical proce-
dures to maintain capacity and ensure the safety of caregivers, patients, and communities. As a result of the financial impact of the pandemic, hundreds of health systems and hospitals across the country have been forced to take measures to address their
shortfalls in revenue; including employee layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts. Facing $3 billion in projected losses this year, the renowned Mayo Clinic announced that 42 percent of its workforce will be furloughed or have their Intermountain Cont'd on page 7
Garfield County School Board Honors Retirees and Thanks Them for Their Years of Service
courtesy KerrI Justus
Garfield County School District retirees from left to right are Tracy Davis, Layne LeFevre, Leniece Fischer, Kim Quarnberg, and Ralph Perkins (not pictured, Teresa Thompson). GARFIELD COUNTY Garfield County School Board honored retirees and thanked them for their dedication and service to the students of Garfield County during their
June 18th board meeting. Retiring this year is Tracy Davis, 4 years; Layne LeFevre, 36 years; Leniece Fischer, 34 years; Kim Quarnberg, 7 years; Ralph Perkins, 29
years; and Teresa Thompson, 30 years. —Garfield County School District
COVID-19 Community Resources • • • •
Utah Coronavirus Information Line: 1-800-456-7707 State of Utah COVID-19 Updates: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/ Garfield County Email Hotline: COVID19@garfield.utah.gov Wayne Community Health Center in Bicknell: (435) 425-3744
Cont'd on page 2
What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say. —Ralph Waldo Emerson
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