The Wayne & Garfield County Insider December 12, 2024

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Loa • Fremont • Lyman • Bicknell • Teasdale • Torrey • Grover • Fruita • Caineville • Hanksville Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Antimony • Bryce • Tropic • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder

Corner Post Media, P.O. Box 105, Escalante, UT 84726

Thursday, December 12, 2024

According to DNR, Utah Water Conditions Represent 'Mixed Outlook' SALT LAKE CITY As of late November, Utah’s water conditions represent a mixed outlook. Current soil moisture levels are around 9% below normal, raising early concerns about potential impacts on next year’s spring runoff. Low soil moisture means that, without improvement, more of the snowmelt may be absorbed by dry ground before it reaches streams and reservoirs.

“Winter weather is just starting, so there’s still time for things to turn around,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “Our snowpack is critical for our water supply. With this uncertainty, we must be mindful of how much water we use.”

While below-normal Water Conditions Cont'd on A5

Forest Field Trip

Fremont River District Seeks Public Input Through Meetings, Field Tours and Comments

by Ian Marynowski

Ian Marynowski

A group consisting of the public, Forest Service and Department of Natural Resource staff enjoyed the views and engaged in discussion at the Larb Hollow overlook. From here one can see everything from Pinyon-Juniper lowlands, stands of Ponderosa and Aspen, as well as fir and spruce forests located high on Boulder mountain. You can also see examples of chaining and clear cutting that happened as late as the 70s. These topics and others related to forest and watershed management were highlights of a public meeting and field tour hosted on Nov. 18 and 19 by the US Forest Service Fremont River Ranger District, meant to inform their final project proposal ahead of a public comment period in December.

WAYNE COUNTY On Nov. 18 and 19, the Fremont River Ranger District hosted a public meeting and field trip ahead of beginning the NEPA process for potential vegetation and wa-

tershed improvement projects on Boulder Mountain.

Federal land managers are required to consult with the public ahead of conducting such projects, and given the importance of these Forest

Wayne County DWR Offers Interfaith Council Presents Several Easy Gift Ideas 'The Best Loved Songs for the of Christmas' Holiday Season

Courtesy Dwina Howey

Christoph Lutz, a native Utahn and Torrey resident, will be the featured artist of the Wayne County Interfaith Council's 2024 Christmas Interfaith Program on Dec. 22.

TORREY - On December 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Christmas Interfaith Program will be held for the 11th year at the Torrey Ward building of

Issue #1593

insiderutah.com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A prelude, beginning at 5:30 Christmas Program Cont'd on A2

REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA

THURS. DEC 12 - WED. DEC 18

Partly cloudy, with very low chance of precip. Highs in the 40s; lows in the teens.

Winds variable from 7 to 11 mph. **Weather is subject to Change

SALT LAKE CITY While some people may not be thinking about hunting or fishing during December, there are still plenty of opportunities to do both this time of year.

Surprise your friends or family with a Utah fishing or hunting license for Christmas or by paying for their registration fee for a hunting or fishing challenge. They make thoughtful presents, are easy to buy, and can be used year-round.

Along with ice fishGift Ideas Cont'd on B3

Service-managed lands to local residents for enjoyment, enrichment and sustenance, this is a process that managers with the Fishlake National Forest say they hope to improve through lo-

cal meetings such as these.

“This is an opportunity to share views in a respectful way and get feedback

Volunteers Invited to Participate in Annual Christmas Bird Count

KANAB - The Bureau of Land Management Paria River District is thrilled to support local citizen scientists in the National Audubon Society's winter bird count, which is the longestrunning community science project in the world.

This year's event will take place from Dec. 14, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025.

Volunteers will receive a map outlining a fifteen-mile diameter circle in which they can identify and count birds. Once the local data is collected, it will be forwarded to a national database to help scientists track bird populations and understand environmental changes.

Locally, residents and visitors have participated in the Christmas Bird Count for thirty-two years.

Last year, participants counted and identified over three thousand and eight hundred birds representing seventy-three species in

Field Trip

CBC

Cont'd on A6

Cont'd on A6

‘Friends of the Library’ Hosts Wreath Workshops to Raise Funds for Panguitch City Library

by Jaynie Connor

Julie Bishop

(Left to right) Melissa Meldrum, Jill Walters, Brooke Piper, Marcy's daughter, Marcy Certonio, Amber Een, and Julie Bishop, wreath workshop teacher, show off their custom-made wreaths at the Panguitch City Library.

PANGUITCH - Julie Bishop and the “Friends of the Library” fundraising group (FOTL) are getting creative and raising money for the Panguitch Library.

For nearly a year,

FOTL, with the help of the library staff and board members, has been brainstorming various new and engaging activities to attract more patrons to the library, and Bishop, Pan-

guitch local and member of FOTL, offered to teach a wreath class to help get people in the building.

Wreath Workshop Cont'd on B1

UPCOMING EVENTS...

Panguitch Christmas Light Parade

Dec. 13 Panguitch Main Street 7PM We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

—Kurt Vonnegut

2024 Boulder Holiday Market

Dec. 14

Boulder Community Center 10 AM - 3 PM

INSIDER CONTENT DEADLINE ALL content for THE WAYNE & GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER MUST BE submitted by FRIDAY AT NOON to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper.

The Insider

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December 12, 2024

Letters to the Editor Send us your letters.

Your thoughts, opinions, and notes to the community are important to us and we welcome your submissions of 500 words or less.

Letters to the editor must include the author’s name and location (town). We may edit letters for length, format and clarity, and we also reserve the right to refuse material. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not necessarily those of The Insider.

Send letters to snapshot@live.com. Note: The Insider will accept one letter per month per person, plus one additional letter if there is a response from another reader to which you would like to respond.

Thank You to All the Elves That Came Out to Light Up Our Beautiful Town Thank you to all the elves that came out to light up our beautiful town. There is definitely the Christmas spirit here.

We had elves special-

ized in holiday lighting, donut baking, hot chocolate, and the most specialized elves came out to spread cheer with a wonderful light parade down Main

Street ending up at our cheerfully lit town park.

Santa came in person to join in the fun.

These elves worked tirelessly to honor the

peace, love and joy that make up, not only the holiday season, but our town of Bicknell.

Laura Lasco, Bicknell

Volunteer Spotlight Meet Laura McKerracher

are no mental health services. With access to high-quality, effective, and free mental health resources online, I can remain in my community and home, retain employment, and stay connected with my support network.

With the use of technological resources, NAMI Utah reaches people with mental health conditions and Courtesy Laura McKerracher their loved ones, not Laura McKerracher lives only state-wide, but nationally as well. With in Boulder, Utah, and is a program restructure Boulder-Escalante NAMI due to the COVID-19 Utah Connection Support epidemic, those who Group Facilitator. McKerwere previously unable racher helped facilitate to access services for NAMI's Thanksgiving Day various reasons, such Connection Support Group, as living in rural areas and will also be facilitating or having health condion Christmas Day and New tions that prevent travel Year's Day. or in-person connections, can now particiBOULDER / ES- pate in groups and classes CALANTE - NAMI (Na- from their homes and care tional Alliance on Mental facilities.

Illness) Utah's online supI learned about NAMI port groups and classes while hospitalized for mental have been life-changing illness and was immediately for me. I live in a very rural drawn to the incredible netand remote town in South work of support and advoCentral Utah, where there cacy. Since the fall of 2019, I

have facilitated NAMI Utah Connection Support Groups, as well as taken advantage of attending groups and classes for my own health. I have built strong relationships with other participants, who can relate to my experiences living with mental health conditions. When attending Connection Support Groups, I feel heard, validated, supported, encouraged, cared for, more hopeful, and not so alone. Groups also provide me with a means to avoid isolation, learn coping strategies, and advocate for myself.

I have found purpose in supporting others with mental health conditions through volunteering at NAMI Utah.

Participants regularly express their thankfulness for our Connection Support Group and Family Support Group, looking forward to getting together, having the opportunity to share and receive feedback and support, and leaving group feeling even just a little bit better than when they logged on.

Thank you for your support of NAMI Utah. Your donation ensures that people like me continue to receive

the mental health care and support they need.

—Laura McKerracher | Connection Support Group Facilitator | Boulder, Utah Mental illness touches all of us, whether we struggle with our own mental health or we know people who are hurting because of it. NAMI Utah saves lives and gives hope through our free, peerled, and easily accessible programs. Our HelpLine, support groups, classes, and presentations help people heal whether they have a mental health condition or they are supporting a loved one with a mental health condition.

This year, more than ever, we need your help due to an unexpected financial setback. Please remember NAMI Utah on your gift-giving list this holiday season.

Tax-deductible donations can be made at namiut.org.

Together we can bring hope to those affected by mental illness.

Sincerely, Robin Holcomb Interim Executive Director NAMI Utah

Christmas Program: On December 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.,

the Christmas Interfaith Program will be held for the 11th year at the Torrey Ward building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Christmas Program Cont'd from A1

Insider

The

p.m., will feature students from Sleeping Rainbow School of Music, directed

by Lynsey Shelar. During the program, various narrators will share stories of the origins of many of the best loved songs of Christmas. The best loved songs will be interwoven and performed throughout the program featuring the Wayne County Community Choir, directed by Francine Hallows and Wayne Winters with Becky Pace on piano and featuring Anna Syme, vocal soloist, and Sade Syme, percussion.

The program will include Rough Around the Edges, Mooney Wash, a male quartet, a female duet, a musical number by Lynsey Shelar on violin and Becky Pace on piano, and a vocal solo of "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

by Joseph Shumway, followed by a special recognition for all veterans. All veterans are invited to attend.

The featured artist this year will be Christoph Lutz, a native Utahn and Torrey resident. He’s had a thirty-five-year Los Angeles-based career as an internationally recognized jazz upright bassist, composer and arranger.

He has performed in clubs, concert halls and festivals all over the world—from the Hollywood Bowl to the Royal Concertgebouw

P.O. Box 105 Escalante, UT 84726 435-826-4400 email snapshot@live.com

Courtesy Beth Bogedahl

The best loved songs of Christmas will be interwoven and performed throughout the Christmas Interfaith Program at the Torrey Ward building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Dec. 22. The program will feature the Wayne County Community Choir, directed by Francine Hallows and Wayne Winters with Becky Pace on piano and featuring Anna Syme, vocal soloist, and Sade Syme, percussion. to the Tokyo Blue Note, and everywhere in between. He has also played bass on over thirty albums, including the Grammywinning soundtrack to the film “Goodnight and Good Luck.” He also appeared on-screen in the film and has performed on live television (American Idol and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson). He is best known for his performances and recordings with Clayton/Hamilton Jazz orchestra (twenty-one years) and the Jeff Hamilton Trio (eighteen years).

Since retiring to Torrey with his wife, Nancy, in

2022, he has enjoyed returning to his first instrument, the guitar, after a thirty-five-year hiatus.

Following the program, a reception will be held, where community members can greet each other and enjoy homebaked cookies and punch.

Participants are invited to bring a plate of cookies and to take a plate home to share with family and friends. This event provides a great opportunity to celebrate Christmas as a community.

The Wayne County Interfaith council consists of Saint Anthony of the

Desert Catholic Mission, Two Arrows Zen Meditation Center, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, the Entrada Institute, and community members-at-large.

The 2024 organizing committee includes Mike Riddle, Joy Morris, Dale Jaworski, Julia Sati, Colleen Dudleston, Mont Forsyth; Becky Pace (program and music), Ted Winder (logistics), Beth and Leon Bogedahl (media), and Donita Pace, Kenra Stephenson and Corinne Jensen (decorations).

—Wayne County Interfaith Council

Publisher: Erica Walz Layout & Graphic Design: Emily Leach Reporter: Tessa Barkan Reporter: Amiee Maxwell Reporter: Ian Marynowski Reporter: Jaynie Connor Payroll: Trudy Stowe Illustrator: Kadi Franson

Local columnists:

Mack Oetting - FYI Panguitch

The Insider is a weekly community newspaper delivered each Thursday to households in Wayne and Garfield counties, Utah. The entire contents of this newspaper are © 2024 The Wayne & Garfield County Insider, LLC/Corner Post Media.

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The Insider

December 12, 2024

Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation and State Parks Warn of Cold Water Dangers as Temperatures Drop SALT LAKE CITY As colder weather sets in across Utah, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation (DOR) and the Utah Division of State Parks are cautioning those who enjoy Utah’s lakes, reservoirs, and rivers about the dangers of cold water immersion. Dropping water temperatures increase the risks of cold water shock, incapacitation and hypothermia, making it essential for recreators to prepare with appropriate safety gear and precautions.

“As cold weather moves in, we urge everyone to remember that even the most seasoned outdoor enthusiasts are at risk when exposed to frigid waters,” said Ty Hunter, DOR's boating program manager. “Wearing a life jacket isn’t just a recommendation—it’s a life-saving choice that can make all the difference in cold water. Cold water immersion can overwhelm even the strongest swimmers in minutes, and a life jacket provides crucial extra time to stay afloat and conserve energy until help arrives. It’s your first line of defense against cold water shock and hypothermia, buying you those precious moments to get back to your boat or stay above water.”

Cold Water Risks and Survival Basics Accidental immersion in cold water can quickly incapacitate and lead to hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, leading to confusion, loss of coordination, and even unconsciousness.

To increase your chance of survival in cold water, wear a lifejacket, and remember the 1:10:1 principle: • 1 minute of uncontrolled breathing, gasping, or hyperventilation due to cold shock. The lifejacket will help keep your airway above water during this initial uncontrolled reaction.

• 10 minutes of meaningful movement to reach safety or reboard a boat.

- The lifejacket will keep you afloat while you

still have some fine motor control to self-rescue, board your boat and call for for help • 1 hour of survival time before hypothermia may cause unconsciousness.

- Wearing a lifejacket will keep you afloat and provide extra insulation.

Cold Water Safety Tips: • Wear a life jacket at all times. Cold water shock can cause rapid, uncontrollable breathing and panic. A life jacket keeps you afloat, reduces movement and conserves heat, which can be life-saving in cold water.

• Dress for the water, not the air. Even on warm days, water temperatures can be dangerously low. Wear synthetic, water-resistant layers and bring extra clothing to stay warm if you get wet.

• Plan ahead and stay informed. Always check the weather and water conditions before heading out. Carry a cell phone or communication device in a waterproof pouch, and consider boating with a buddy for added safety.

• Practice controlled breathing. The initial cold shock response can lead to hyperventilation. Take slow, deep breaths to stabilize your breathing and help prevent panic to help facilitate the coordination of body movement.

• Follow the “Reach, Throw, Row, Don’t Go” technique. If you or someone else is in the water and struggling to get out, remember this sequence: - Reach: Extend a stick, paddle, or other object to pull them in.

- Throw: Toss a flotation device or rope to keep them afloat.

- Row: Carefully row closer to offer help from a safe distance.

- Don’t Go: Avoid entering the water to prevent additional risk.

• Stay with your boat when possible. If your boat capsizes, staying with it is often safer than attempting to swim to shore. A boat is easier for rescuers to spot and provides a way to stay above water.

“Remember, cold water can drain your strength and impair decision-making rapidly, so preparation—knowing the dangers, dressing appropriately, and always wearing a life jacket—can truly save your life,” said Hunter. “No one expects to fall into cold water, but being prepared is the key to surviving if you do, and wearing a life jacket will buy you critical time.”

For additional information on cold water safety, visit recreation.utah. gov or stateparks.utah. gov.

—Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation | Utah Division of State Parks

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Wills, Trusts, and More

The Insider

How Can Taxes be Saved Upon Death?

by Jeffery J. McKenna

"Cost basis" is the term used to describe the original cost of an asset.

It is used to determine the taxable gain on the sale of that asset. For instance, if you purchased a parcel of vacant real estate in 1980 for $50,000, your cost basis in the property is $50,000. If you sell the unimproved parcel of land for $150,000 (its fair market value), your taxable gain would be $100,000; the sale price less the cost basis ($150,000 - $50,000 = $100,000). You would therefore be subject to capital gain tax on $100,000.

In situations where property is used for business purposes, the cost basis must be reduced by the depreciation taken against the property during the period of business use. When you give an asset away during life, the recipient of the gift assumes your original cost basis. For example, if a father gave his son the real estate we discussed above, the son's cost basis would also be $50,000. If the son like-

wise sold the property for $150,000, he, too, would have a taxable gain of $100,000.

However, when you leave an asset to someone upon your death, the recipient receives what is referred to as a step-up in basis. The step-up in basis is the fair market value of the asset on the date of the decedent's death (or on the date 6 months after death if the alternative valuation date is used). Using the previous example, if the father died and left the property to his son upon his death, the son would receive a step-up in basis in the property, which would be the $150,000 fair market value. If the son subsequently sold the property he inherited from his father for its fair market value of $150,000, the son would have no taxable gain. Although it makes

sense at times to give away assets during life, one must consider the possible income tax ramifications to the recipient of the gift on the subsequent sale of that asset. In many cases it is preferable to leave an asset upon your death rather than to give it away during life to take advantage of the step-up in basis rule.

Many people give away assets to children during their life to avoid the delays and expenses of probate upon their death. In doing so, they lose advantage of the step-up in basis rule. A better alternative may be to create and fully fund a Living Trust during the parents' lifetime and leave the assets to children upon their death. The assets in the Living Trust would pass to the children free of probate, and they will receive a full step-up in basis.

NOW WITH RICHFIELD AND PANGUITCH OFFICES TO SERVE CLIENTS IN AROUND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES. Jeffery J. McKenna is a local attorney whose practice has been focused on Estate Planning for over 25 years. He is licensed and serves clients in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. He is a shareholder at the law firm of Barney, McKenna and Olmstead. If you have questions you would like addressed in these articles, please feel free to contact him at 435 628-1711 or jmckenna@barney-mckenna.com or visit the firm’s website at WWW. BARNEY-MCKENNA.COM, he would enjoy hearing from you. Additionally, you can RSVP to attend one of his FREE Estate Planning Seminars in Richfield, at 159 North Main Street, every Third Thursday.

Comics

December 12, 2024

tHe lAuGhiNg pOiNt!!

Desert Island

Harry was shipwrecked on a deserted island. For several months, he longed for someone to talk to; he searched the horizons for even the suggestion of a ship.

One day, his commitment was rewarded: A beautiful woman was washed up onto the beach, floating on a large steamer trunk. Harry got her all settled, and fed, and dried off, and they started talking.

April asked Harry, "what is something you've REALLY missed being out here on a deserted island for so long?"

"A clean shirt," was Harry's response. With a huff, April reached into the steamer trunk and tossed Harry a shirt.

April let out a short huff, but persevered: "Surely there's SOMETHING you've really missed out here...all alone...on an island with NOBODY all this time?"

"Oh wow, YEAH, there sure is: I'd REALLY like a dry pillow to sleep on."

April reached into her steamer trunk once again and tossed Harry a pillow, but she would not be put off.

Striking her most alluring pose, she asked in her most provocative voice, "C'mon, Harry, wouldn't you like to play around?"

Harry got all excited and started jumping up and down. "Don't tell me you have a set of GOLF CLUBS in there, too?!"

Weight Loss

A terribly overweight blonde woman goes to her doctor about her weight, so her doctor puts her on a diet.

“I want you to eat vegetables and grains for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks, and the next time I see you, you should have lost at least five pounds.”

When the blonde returned, the doctor was shocked to find she had lost nearly twenty pounds.

“Why, that’s amazing!” the doctor said, “Did you follow my instructions?”

The blonde nodded and said, “I have to tell you though, I thought I was going I think somebody to drop dead after the third added more dirt to my day.” vegetable garden.

“From hunger, you The plot thickens! mean?”

“No, from skipping.”

PUNishment

sudoku To Play: Complete the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

This week's answers on B6

THEME:

country roads

by Lynn Griffin

Year-in-Review

ner

ACROSS 1. Cerberus' domain 6. Chop 9. Mama's husband 13. Unsuitable 14. Adam's partner 15. Echo sounder 16. Sunny prefix 17. Armed conflict 18. In a heated man-

19. *Highest grossing movie based on Broadway musical 21. *Time's 100 World's Most Influential People cover model in 2024 (2 words) 23. "____ and the City" 24. Not exciting 25. Accident 28. Rani's dress 30. Talking points 35. Aflame 37. Spanish sparkling wine 39. Slang for money 40. Velum, pl.

41. *November 5th 2024 winner 43. Short for "and elsewhere" (2 words) 44. Met's offering 46. River in Bohemia 47. Queen of Hearts' pastry 48. *Super Bowl winners in 2024 50. Visi____ or Ostro____ 52. The Alan Parsons Project's "Eye in the ____" 53. ____ of passage 55. *Milton's center 57. *Miley Cyrus' Grammy-winning Record of the Year in 2024 61. *2024 Summer Olympic Games host 64. Cat's nine 65. Lowest or highest card 67. Accustom 69. E-wallet content 70. Backstabber 71. N in RN 72. Whipping mark 73. R&R spot 74. Support person

DOWN 1. "Say what?"

2. All over again 3. *MV ____, cause of 2024 Baltimore bridge collapse 4. Long stories 5. Tends a fire 6. Obscene 7. Spermatozoa counterpart 8. Lost, in Paris 9. *Olympic Gold winner Katie Ledecky's "court" 10. Dead against 11. Explore by touch 12. Maisie Williams' "Game of Thrones" character 15. Hello, in Haifa 20. Dead-on 22. Last month 24. Disclose 25. Wreaked state 26. Bet's predecessor 27. Pileus, pl.

29. Like steak order 31. Maya Angelou, e.g.

32. Itsy-bitsy bits 33. *Caitlin of college

basketball 34. Gin and grapefruit juice cocktail, a.k.a. ____ dog 36. Scarlet O'Hara's home 38. Speaking platform 42. Dinklage or Townshend, e.g.

45. Again but differently 49. Elton John's title 51. Shenzi of "The Lion King" 54. Russian rulers, pre-1917 56. Tedium 57. "One ____ Over the Cuckoo's Nest" 58. Classroom pests 59. Elliptical 60. Sunset location 61. Sheep's milk cheese 62. Little Miss Muffet's morsel 63. Gaelic tongue 66. Upper limit 68. Poetic "always"

Solution on B5

The Insider

December 12, 2024

FYI PanguItch

Water Conditions: Winter

weather is just starting, so there’s still time for things to turn around. Our snowpack is critical for our water supply. With this uncertainty, we must be mindful of how much water we use.

—Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources Water Conditions Cont'd from A1

soil moisture is not ideal, it’s too early to draw conclusions about next year’s water availability.

Conditions can change significantly with winter storms, which may help improve soil moisture and set up a better spring runoff. Recent precipitation has helped replenish soil moisture levels at shallow depths but has not seen a major rebound at deeper levels.

Reservoir levels have been steadily declining since July, which is typical for this time of year.

However, statewide, reservoirs are currently 74% full, significantly higher than the average of 54%.

This healthy storage helps create a solid foundation for next year’s water supply.

“Reservoir storage is above normal, which bodes well for next spring’s water supply,” Hasenyager said. “These conditions are encouraging as we look toward the months ahead. Let’s keep water in our reservoirs and remember to dial back

our water use whenever possible.”

The south arm of Great Salt Lake has dropped nearly three feet since its peak in May. Typically, the lake level fluctuates 2.5 feet annually, peaking during spring runoff and dropping to a seasonal low in October or November. This drop is mostly due to evaporation and water flowing to the lake’s north arm.

In Utah, about 95% of our water supply comes from snowpack. Reservoir storage helps us preserve that water for use in dry summer months and drought years. To encourage water conservation among Utahns, the Department of Natural Resources continues to promote initiatives such as the Agricultural Water Optimization Program for farmers and SlowtheFlow.org for residents. These programs aim to educate and incentivize water-saving practices, ensuring Utahns become more drought-resilient and prepare for future conditions.

—Utah Department of Natural Resources | Division of Water Resources

A5

by Mack Oetting ~ mackoetting @gmail.com What a great time of the year. There are so many things going on, and many organizations are giving thanks to their members for all of their hard work.

Volunteers are what make small towns work well. The Lions had a dinner for their members at the Cowboy's Smokehouse Cafe, and it

was well attended.

The Sub for Santa program had their annual visit from Santa who arrived by fire engine to a big crowd of little ones. Santa spoke to about one hundred and forty kids to see what they have wished for this Christmas.

There were plenty of goodies for all, and there were

New Fee at Lees Ferry Campground

Courtesy National Park Service

A campsite in Lees Ferry Campground in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

PAGE - On January 1, 2025, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has a new rate for sites at Lees Ferry Campground. The new rate is $26 per site/ per night. The previous rate was $20 per site/per night. The fee rate is based on comparable fees for similar services in nearby

campground. Funds from an increase would be used for activities and projects that serve visitors to Glen Canyon.

More information about Lees Ferry is available at https://www.nps. gov/glca/planyourvisit/ lees-ferry.htm —National Park Service

stockings filled with a lot of good stuff. Santa went over to the extended care and spoke with each person who was staying there.

Santa came back to the Panguitch Social Hall just in time to welcome a family of six that were a little late.

Santa coming to Panguitch is always fun for the kids and their parents.

The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) honored one of their long-time members. Annette Heywood has been a valuable DUP member since 1997 and has given many wonderful lessons and shared her distinguished family history. She has served as a registrar and chaplain. The DUP appreciate her for her work in the DUP, as well as the community. So, when you see Annette, a thank you to her would be nice.

Saturday was December 7th, a day that will live in infamy, the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. With so much going on in December, it is easy to forget.

There is much going on till the 1st of the year.

There will be a merchant drawing at the Social Hall on the 14th and 21st at 10 a.m. Get your tickets from the local merchants, like Joe’s Market, and win some great gifts. This Friday the 13th, there will be a light parade down Main

Street, and prizes will be awarded for the best lit up trucks. On Saturday the 14th, there will be a car show down at the Triple C Arena, the Cruizin' Old 89 Christmas Car Show, with a lot of vintage cars and trucks for your viewing.

On the 14th, there will be a Christmas home tour that will be from 5 - 8, and there are some really well decorated homes to view.

Money raised will go to the Sub for Santa.

Speaking of Sub for Santa, you need to get a request for gifts from Santa from Pat at 676-2418 or Elaine at 676-2418.

We do have one more event, and it will be the annual Panguitch City New Year’s party. It will be at the Triple C Arena. There will be fun games for the kids and adults, including bingo.

Charlene Ancira, the longtime manager of the Panguitch Care and Share, has fallen and broken her wrist and is now retiring.

Charlene has been really great at her job and needs a lot of thanks for all of her hard work; those boxes get really heavy.

Don’t forget, with all of the things going on, what Christmas is all about, and that is celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Mack O.

Obituaries Dwight S. Williams 1928 - 2024

TEASDALE - Dwight S. Williams, age 96, of Teasdale, passed away on November 30, 2024, in Teasdale, Utah.

He died at home in the house where he was born 96 years ago.

Dwight was born April 12, 1928, in Teasdale, Utah, to Gustavious and Duella Dance Williams. He was the youngest of 7 siblings, who he was very close to, having lost both his parents at a young age. Dwight spent his life on the ranch in Teasdale tending cows on the Boulder Mountain and “Down Below” on the desert.

His knowledge of the plants, geology, and geography of the desert country was unparalleled. He knew every trail and every abandoned road. In 1947, he and his brothers and the rest of the “Blind Bridle Outfit” bought the Baker Ranch on Halls Creek, which is now under Lake Powell. He spent the next 75 years trailing cows to every water seep and through every canyon from Ticaboo to Starr Springs and then home to the Boulder Mountain.

He married and was sealed to Donna Carol Harward on August 30, 1957, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They made their home in Teasdale, Utah, moving into the Williams home built in 1882.

Over the years, Carol and Dwight remodeled, added, and beautified the historic home. Carol and Dwight were blessed with 5 children over the years. While children brought much happiness, there was great sorrow, when their oldest child, Thomas, died from cancer at the age of 3.

Dwight’s life was a life of service. He served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Western States Mission from January 1949 to 1951, including a brief stint as Relief Society President in Tucumcari, New Mexico. He served as a counselor in the Bishopric of the Teasdale Ward in the late 1950s, beginning his service before he was married, then served as Bishop from 1964 - 1970, and again served as a counselor 40 years later in the 1990s. In between, he served on the High Council of the Loa Utah Stake, and as a counselor in the Stake Presidency.

He was a dedicated home teacher and a neighbor to all. Dwight and Carol’s home was open to everyone. They had visitors from all over the world with all of them anxious to hear Dwight’s stories.

He graduated from Wayne High School in Bicknell, Utah in the Class of 1946.

He served in the United States Air Force from May 1951 to May 1955 during the Korean conflict as a mechanic on the B-36 Bomber. He served as a Wayne County Commissioner (1972 -1 978), as vice-chair of the Six County Association of Governments, and on the boards of the Wayne County Water Conservancy District, the Teasdale Special Service District, the Teasdale Irrigation Company, and the Grover Irrigation Company.

Dwight studied the gospel of Jesus Christ and had a deep knowledge of the scriptures and church government. He was a living textbook of the history of Wayne County, especially the history of livestock raising in the area. He was an amateur prospector, always picking up interesting rocks and looking for lost Spanish gold mines. He read extensively and especially enjoyed books about the American Southwest. His habit of reading continued up to the time of his death, and it was only for the last couple of years that he needed reading glasses.

Dwight and Carol were the parents of 5 children: Thomas Dwight Williams (deceased); Gustavious Paul and Adrienne Breillatt Williams of Alpine, Utah; David Royal and Suzie Cox Williams of West Jordan, Utah; Donna Pauline Williams of Spanish Fork, Utah; Jeffrey Mark and Rachelle Rees Williams of Teasdale, Utah. They have 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, with one on the way. He is survived by his 4 children, their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

He was an honorary “Harward boy” and was beloved by his brothers-in-law Carvel, Ronald, Newell, Kendall, and Layne Harward and their wives. He was especially close to his Williams nieces and nephews who all loved to visit Uncle Dwight.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol Williams, who died March 20, 2024; their son: Thomas Dwight Williams; his parents: Gustavious and Duella Dance Williams; his siblings: Orawell and Vonda Williams, Dyle and Ludeal Williams, Marva and Alfred Baker, Ardis and Reed Smith, Bryce Williams, and Reed and Elnora Williams The family wishes to express their thanks to the staff at Stonehenge of Richfield, Monroe Canyon Assisted Living, and Gunnison and Zions home health and hospice for their kindness and tender care of our dad for the past year. We also want to thank the numerous family and friends who called and visited him consistently over the past few years.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 1:00 P.M. in the Torrey LDS Ward Chapel, where friends and family may call for a viewing Saturday morning from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. prior to the services.

Live streaming of the services can be found at www.springerturner.com under Dwight’s obituary about 15 minutes before starting time.

Burial with military honors accorded by the Harold Brown American Legion Post #92 and the United States Air Force Honor Guard will be in the Teasdale Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.

Online guest book at: www.springerturner.com

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December 12, 2024

Field Trip: We are trying really hard to do something other than say ‘just CBC: Whether you're a seasoned birder

trust us.’ We have decades of trial and error behind us, work that we have followed or a curious beginner, your contribution is valuable. Bird count contributions can be up with science to better inform our future work.

—Jeremy Keys, Fremont District Silviculturist made from the treetops, in your own backyard,

at your birdfeeder, or even hiking across public lands. We invite anyone to participate in collecting this important data.

—Lisa Church, Kanab Field Office Wildlife Biologist CBC Cont'd from A1

Ian Marynowski

and around Bryce Canyon, Kanab, Escalante, Utah, and Page, Arizona. Last year’s most observed species included the European Starling, White-crowned Sparrow, American Crow, Raven, Dark-eyed Junco, Gambel's Quail, and Horned Lark.

"Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious beginner, your contribution is valuable," said Kanab Field Office Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church. "Bird

com • Paria River District, 669 S. Hwy 89A, Kanab, Utah 84741, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dec. 18, 2024. For more information contact Lisa Church at (435) 6441200 or lchurch@blm. gov • Anasazi State Park Museum, 460 N Hwy 12, Boulder, Utah 84716, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 19, 2024. For more information contact Lisa Young at (435) 8260548 or lyoung@usda. gov

A ponderosa pine tree bearing scares from a controlled fire burned in 2011 stands in front of the Nov. 19 field tour group at the dispersed camping area above Lower Bowns Reservoir. According to Fremont River District Silviculturist Jeremy Keys, the forest in the area is roughly three times too dense, despite past management, and stands as a testament to the amount and intensity of work needed across Boulder Mountain. “Natural fires currently can burn with much higher intensity than what we generally do with controlled burns. Mechanical thinning can match this intensity, but it is too time and labor intensive to match the scale. It is a hard thing to balance,” explained Keys. "We now have pressure to treat tens of thousands of acres."

Field Trip Cont'd from A1

from the public,” said Kurtis Robins, Fremont River District Ranger, during the Nov. 18 meeting at the Wayne County Community Center in Bicknell. An explanation of the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process was given by Maggie Toone, and the interdisciplinary team of forest specialists was introduced by team lead Devin Johnson.

A variety of presentations from the team followed. Fremont District Silviculturist Jeremy Keys and Fuels Programs Manager Kent Chappell discussed the need for changes in management techniques and increased monitoring and data collection. Biologists Jens Swenson and Mike Hadley addressed the need for watershed restoration to maintain healthy fisheries, and Department of Natural Resource (DNR) biologists Morgan Hinton and Jim Lamb discussed wildlife habitat.

After the presentations, breakout sessions were held where members of the public could meet with experts and ask questions about the proposal.

The Forest Service has received criticism in the past for prioritizing grazing, cutting old growth and not communicating about thinning prescriptions well with contractors. Transparency with the public has also been a concern. “Everyone has a list of things that they want to see. No one is going to get 100% of those, but we are here to learn about each other's point of views and collaborate,” said Robins. Comment cards were collected at the end of the night and marked the first of several comment periods the public will have on the project.

The following morning, Nov. 19, the group met once again at the Fremont River Ranger Station in Loa, to conduct a field tour on Boulder Mountain, this time addressing questions with "boots in the dirt."

The first stop of the day was near Teasdale, to view the 2,300 acre Lost Lake arson fire which burned in 2012. Discussion highlighted how intense fires can lead to aspen re-

generation and promote understory growth. Utah DNR representatives also noted their range trend site in the area which showed an increase in ungulate grazing following the fire. Jeremy Keys spoke to the importance of monitoring the effects of disturbances to the landscape.

Large fires can prove beneficial to an ecosystem but now often burn too destructively after decades of suppression. “Natural fires currently can burn with much higher intensity than what we generally do with controlled burns. Mechanical thinning can match this intensity, but it is too time and labor intensive to match the scale. It is a hard thing to balance,” explained Keys.

“We have a lot of pressure now to treat tens of thousands of acres, so it is really hard to tell you specifically what will be done at each site, so this is an overarching NEPA which will inform the many smaller projects happening across the forest.” Keys continued. “We are trying really hard to do something other than say ‘just trust us.’

We have decades of trial and error behind us, work that we have followed up with science to better inform our future work.”

This brought up the matter of adaptive management. “We need the public to trust us, but that can be hard because we also need some flexibility to make changes as we learn,” said Robins. He explained how there were too many variables, from funding to weather, to offer much specific information ahead of what could be a decadelong project.

The Dixie National Forest’s Hungry Creek project proposal has received criticism for being too vague to inform a decent public opinion, despite the intention there being to allow for adaptive management under the strict NEPA regulations. While the Fremont Districts’ proposal runs into similar issues, they hope that continuing public interaction will help to mitigate concerns.

The group proposed an idea to hold such meetings and field trips annually to allow concerned members of the public to continue being involved and learn more

about forest management as localized treatments under the project begin to take place.

The second and third stops took place in Grover at the Forest boundary and at the Larb Hollow Overlook. Here, the different ecotypes on Boulder Mountain were identified: pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine, aspen and mixed conifer forests. Their general homogeneity and density were noted as the key problems. Keys said he wanted to "punch holes" to open up the forest and create more ecotones—the areas in between two biological communities which promote ecological diversity.

Concerns were raised over how to do this without leaving an unnatural checkerboard effect, reminiscent of old chaining practices or clearcutting—both seen from Larb Hollow. Keys assured the public that they now have science-backed parameters on how much space each type of forest requires to be healthy, and that maintaining old growth forest was a “desired condition.”

“But something needs to be done,” he said. Explaining that the lack of diversity, increased competition and drought conditions have all stressed tree communities, allowing native pests such as mistletoe, bark and twig beetles to thrive and increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, such as the Silver King fire which burned outside of Marysvale in July, 2024.

Cattle grazing practices and restoration of healthy watersheds were also discussed, as well as the use of translocated beavers by the DNR as an important watershed restoration tool.

Jens Swenson noted however that there was not a large enough food supply in many areas to support beavers and talked about fencing off riparian areas and utilizing Low Tech Process Based Restoration (LTPBR) techniques, such as artificial beaver dams, to help promote healthy riparian plant communities.

While this can be contentious among downstream water users, Robins feels that this can be remedied through transparency.

“I don’t want to hoodwink anyone,” he said. “We need more public outreach and

education, and we need to use more data as opposed to anecdotes to keep everyone on the same page.”

The final stop of the day took place at the dispersed camping area above Lower Bowns Reservoir.

The area has had two low intensity prescribed burns which have still left the ponderosa forest three times too dense with trees.

Keys described here the nuances of writing prescriptions, and all of the staff acknowledged that there is a lot of work to do on the mountain.

“We wouldn’t be here having this discussion if we didn’t feel like there needed to be change,” said Robins. “We all want a healthy landscape, and to do that we need to get some disturbance back on the ground.

I’m hopeful before next October when a decision needs to be signed, we have found some common ground that most everyone can agree needs to happen" This meeting was a chance to include public opinions in the scoping documents for the project. The Forest Service will be accepting further public comments from early December into January, as per NEPA regulations (links and resources for public comment will be posted next week).

Comments should be as specific as possible, recommended solutions should be included with complaints and novel treatments ideas are encouraged.

Courtesy Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management Paria River District is thrilled to support local citizen scientists in the National Audubon Society's winter bird count, which is the longest-running community science project in the world. This year's event will take place from Dec. 14, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025. count contributions can be made from the treetops, in your own backyard, at your birdfeeder, or even hiking across public lands. We invite anyone to participate in collecting this important data."

Data can be submitted on paper, in person, or via email. For additional questions, please contact the staff listed below. For participating students, count forms will be sent home by teachers and should be returned to the school. For more information on other bird count events across Utah, please visit the 2024 Christmas Bird Count Schedule at http://utahbirds.org/.

Local events dates and times: • Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, 755 W. Main Street, Escalante, Utah 84726, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 14, 2024. For more information contact Marvin Contreras at (435) 826-5499 or marvin1725@protonmail.

• Bryce Canyon National Park Visitor Center, Hwy 63, Bryce, Utah 84764, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dec. 21, 2024. For more information call (435) 834-4744 —Bureau of Land Management

December 12, 2024

The Insider

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Schools and Sports

Wreath Workshop: I was very happy to get back into my trade and PHS Sports Sidelines

host my first wreath workshop since living in Panguitch. The Panguitch City Library gets its funding primarily from patrons physically coming into the library building, so my first cause for hosting the class was for more numbers. My second cause was to help fund the Story Time program held weekly at the library. Since it is not in the city budget, it is completely dependent on fundraising.

—Julie Bishop

Courtesy @Friends of the Library Panguitch

Verlaine Spencer, Children's Librarian at the Panguitch City Library, during Story Time.

Wreath Workshop Cont'd from A1

“I was very happy to get back into my trade and host my first wreath workshop since living in Panguitch. The Panguitch City Library gets its funding primarily from patrons physically coming into the library building, so my first cause for hosting the class was for more numbers. My second cause was to help fund the Story Time program held weekly at the library. Since it is not in the city budget, it is completely dependent on fundraising.”

The classes were held on November 25th, December 4th, with a third class taking place today, December 12th.

The workshops begin with patrons choosing a sign, some mesh colors

and ribbon designs. This is followed by step-by-step instructions by Bishop on assembling their wreaths.

At the end of the class, students will go home with their own completed wreath. Participants can anticipate an interactive two-hour workshop where they will receive hands-on support in crafting their own personalized wreath, made from a selection of the high-quality materials provided. The cost of the wreaths are $30 each, and all proceeds are donated to the Panguitch City Library.

“My goal for hosting wreath workshops is to provide a fun, engaging craft experience for community members. If I can raise enough for the materials as well as donate to the library, I'm happy,” said Bishop.

The community re-

sponse has been overwhelmingly positive. All of the slots for two of their six-person workshops filled up in the first day, and the third class spots filled within the first week.

Throughout the event, attendees can unleash their creativity in a fun and laid-back atmosphere and connect with others in the community, cultivating a sense of camaraderie, all while supporting the local library. It is an ideal moment to break away from the daily grind, explore something new, and leave with a beautiful, custom wreath that showcases individual styles. With so much success this time around, Bishop has started planning a Valentine’s Day wreath workshop; to find out the details, follow the “Friends of the Library Panguitch” Facebook

page.

If you are unable to attend a workshop and still want to support the library, financial donations are greatly appreciated, and you are welcome to come in and visit the Panguitch Library staff. Lucy Sarles is the Library Director, and Verlaine Spencer is the Children's Librarian. The Multi-County Bookmobile is headquartered in the same building, so keep an eye out for Kathy and Jacob, as well.

The Panguitch Library hosts Story Time on Wednesdays at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. They provide engaging stories, songs, activities, and crafts tailored for elementary-aged children. Kids of all ages are welcome to join in and participate alongside their parents, grandparents, or caregivers.

by Mack Oetting

Sometimes sports and events are too spectacular to write about; it is too much for words. I can only tell you what I heard about the Panguitch Bobcats wrestlers. Last year, for the first time, the Cats won their own tournament. This year, they not only won it, but they won by over twohundred points. They had seven wrestlers in the finals. There were thirty-two teams—with teams from 1A- 4A—and the Cats blew them away. Wow, they might as well mail them their sixth straight championship. I do know one wrestler who took first in the girls matches and that was Kieran Mooney.

The boys basketball team came away with three victories last week. The first game was against Parowan, and both teams looked like they were playing in a mirror. Neither team went ahead by more than five points, and at the end of the fourth quarter, they were tied at forty-four.

It came down to the last few seconds of the game when a Parowan player, who had made seven free throws, missed his second shot, and the score was 51 to 50. The Cats had the ball at the end. One of our players was fouled with 1.5 seconds left on the clock

and made both of his foul shots, and the Cats came away with a squeaker, 5251.

The Cats went out to the Moab area and played Grand and came away with another close one, 65-62. Burkley Dalton had eighteen, and Daxton Miller came away with fifteen.

On the next day, they went over to Emery, another 2A team, and won, 55-42, to finish off a good week.

Green River was here last Tuesday on the 10th, and it was a chance to play against a 1A team. They will be playing up at Richfield at the 1A preview on Friday and Saturday. Next week on the 17th, San Juan will be here in Panguitch, Wayne will be on the 18th, and Wendover will be here on the 20th. After Christmas, they again will be playing in the Steve Hodson tournament from December 26-28.

The Lady Cats went down to Valley and beat the Buffaloes, 35 to 31.

Katie Hatch scored ten, and Mallory Henrie finished with nine. South Sevier was another story.

They had a lot of tall players, and the Cats were never into the game, losing 66 to 23. Also on the 10th, the ladies will be playing Green River, and their game will be starting at 3:00 for the JV game.

The ladies have four away games starting with Milford on the 11th, San Juan, on the 13th, North Sevier on the 14th, and Wayne on the 19th.

The Insider

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December 12, 2024

Utah's Quixotic Bid to Wrest Millions Of Acres from the Federal Government

The state of Utah believes it should be given Bureau of Land Management lands

by Kurt Repanshek | National Parks Traveler | November 24, 2024 Reprinted with permission UTAH - Utah officials are bucking more than a century of legal rulings, and their state's own constitution, in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to transfer millions of acres of federal lands to state ownership. It's either a quixotic Hail Mary or a bold move banked on hopes that the court's majority conservatives will overstep Congress's authority and grant their wish.

The land at issue accounts for more than two thirds of Utah, some 18.5 million acres owned and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Utah officials contend the federal government is unjustly denying the state the financial remuneration that could be gleaned from converting the land to state-desired uses such as livestock grazing and energy and transportation needs.

They accuse the federal government of hanging on to the land “in perpetuity” to ultimately make a profit from it.

If the Supreme Court agrees to take up Utah’s case, its ruling could have vast implications for not just the 18.5 million BLM acres in Utah, but lands owned by other federal agencies, such as the National Park Service and Forest Service, across the nation. But first, Utah has to convince the high court that the state never actually meant to cede any right to the lands in question.

When Utah officials took their request to the Supreme Court in August they maintained that the federal government made "express and implied promises" about future state jurisdiction over the lands when Utah entered the union. But the state's own constitution specifies that its residents "agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within the boundaries thereof" and that the United States rightly holds title to those lands.

The challenge arises at a time of resurgent states' rights fervor and distrust of Washington.

"It's absolutely a Hail Mary," said Stephen Bloch, the legal director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. "All of the law says that Utah is wrong, and yet they're persisting in trying to chart an entirely new path."

"It's a weird lawsuit," is the opinion of John Leshy, the Interior Department's chief attorney during the Clinton administration and today the Emeritus Harry D. Sunderland and Distinguished Professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. "What Utah is claiming here is that they only have a constitutional claim on the 'unappropriated' public land that BLM manages.

Now, frankly, nobody knows what that means.

There's no general standard definition of 'appropriated' or 'unappropriated.' Congress hardly ever uses that term. They're just kind of making it up and they leave it very illdefined."

The lawsuit is steeped with the fervor of

Bob Wick | Bureau of Land Management

View from Cottonwood Canyon Road, Paria River District. the "Sagebrush Rebellion" of the 1980s that sought to have federal lands in the West given over to the states The poster child of the rebellion rose up on July 4, 1980, when several hundred people gathered in Moab, Utah, on the doorstep of both Canyonlands and Arches national parks, to celebrate the nation's birthday...and decry federal land-management policies.

From atop a Caterpillar bulldozer, adorned with "Sagebrush Rebel" stickers and spouting a U.S. flag from its smokestack, county officials complained about federal land managers. After firing up the crowd, the politicians fired up the bulldozer and, while following the scant traces of an abandoned mining road, worked to scrape a path into a nearby Wilderness Study Area on BLM lands.

Not A Unique Attempt Utah politicians have been striving for decades to take control of BLM lands in their state. They maintain that the state could better manage places such as the San Rafael Swell, an eighty-mile by thirty-mile bulbous protuberance of rock in south-central Utah.

It was ratcheted into place by geologic machinations some sixty million years ago and holds magnificent galleries of ancient rock art. Or like the Valley of the Gods that embraces rock spires and buttes beneath Cedar Mesa in the state's southeastern corner, or the White Wash Dunes south of the town of Green River with its stands of cottonwoods that sink their roots deep into the dunes to slake their thirst.

The Sagebrush Rebellion faded away after the election of President Ronald Reagan. Now Utah Republicans are resting their hopes with incoming President Trump and the conservative Supreme Court he cemented by appointing justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett during his first term in office. The Utahns were able to convince Trump, in that first term, to shear two million acres from the Grand StaircaseEscalante and Bears Ears national monuments so as to open up lands for energy development.

President Biden, of course, reversed Trump's actions when he came to office.

In its ninety-four-page filing, Utah argues that the federal government's massive land holdings "are patently unconstitutional."

"Nothing in the Constitution authorizes the United States to hold vast unreserved swathes of Utah’s territory in perpetuity, over Utah’s express objection, without even so much as a pretense of using those lands in the service of any enumerated power," they maintain. Indeed, the western lands the young nation acquired were viewed "by nearly all" as a treasure that could be sold to fund the fledgling country, the filing asserted.

Utah's current bid, which contends that federal ownership of the land "deprives the Utah Legislature of its full ability to shape policy for the benefit of those closest to the land: the people of the State of Utah," seems contrary to the will of those very residents. Polling conducted

by Colorado College for its 2024 State of the Rockies report found that eightyfour percent of the state's residents "support the creation of new national parks, national monuments, national wildlife refuges, and tribal protected areas."

Nevertheless, the elected officials—including Utah's entire Congressional delegation—argue that the federal government's holdings make Utah a lesser state than the other fortynine.

"That the federal government currently deprives Utah of its full sovereignty cannot be doubted. The United States owns approximately sixty-nine percent of the land in Utah to the complete deprivation of the State," the congressional delegation argues in a supporting brief. "Nearly half of that land is not being used by the federal government to carry out any enumerated power; instead, the land is simply being held in perpetuity for federal profit. So, in over two-thirds of the land within its state lines, Utah is stripped of its sovereign power to tax, exercise eminent domain, and even regulate. "...Only by returning to Utah ownership over its lands can the United States rectify the State’s loss of control and make it fully equal with the other States."

Usurping Legislative Authority In seeking Supreme Court consideration of their

case, Utah officials want the high court to overstep Congress's authority given by the Property Clause of the U.S. Constitution to “dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States.”

Missing in the arguments from the Congressional delegation and other supporters is why the Supreme Court should look the other way when it comes to the U.S. Constitution, the state constitution, and Congressional intent.

"Congress said in 1976 that the BLM should manage all of its land in these ways. Multiple use, sustained yield, and very elaborate and long guidance that Congress gave to the BLM and told them how to manage this land," said Leshy. "And now you [Utah] tell them, 'Well, that's unconstitutional.'

And so, it's quite a weird, incoherent almost, kind of lawsuit."

More shocking, Leshy added, is that in tossing the matter to the Supreme Court, "[T]he political process won't make this determination, the justices will.'"

A supporting brief filed by Wyoming takes the matter even further, seeking state takeover of all federal lands—BLM's, as well as those managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. Utah's request doesn't go that far, but it still could send earthquake-like tremors across the West and north into Alaska if the Supreme Court agrees.

"While Utah may not be contemplating broader arguments at this time, they are cracking open a door to much broader claims," said John Ruple, the Wallace Stegner Center Law & Policy program director at the University of Utah. "The scope of potential claims is staggering if somewhat hard to quantify."

It could call into question "ownership of almost a quarter-billion acres of land, which is what the BLM currently manages nationwide," he said. Beyond that, "the United States controls over 655 million acres of land surface, most of which appear to fall within the sweeping claims in Wyoming's footnote," which calls for the Supreme Court to consider turning all federal lands over to the states, Ruple added.

The professor, who recently worked as Senior Counsel in the White House Council on Environmental Quality, pointed out that "the Supreme Court [in past decisions] has made clear that the Property Clause grants Congress an 'absolute right' to decide upon the disposition of federal land and '[n]o State legislation can interfere with this right or embarrass its exercise.'"

Utah was not even a federal territory—and thus did not exist as a jurisdiction—when the Untied States acquired the land in question at the end of the Mexican-American War, Ruple noted. Utah didn’t become a U.S. territory for another two years, and a state forty-four years after that.

Thus, he concluded, "Utah cannot claim to 'take back' land that never belonged to it. Utah also cannot ignore federal law or its own constitutional disclaimer of rights to the land just because that disclaimer no longer suits the state’s wishes."

Trampling Tribal Rights?

Filing a motion to intervene against Utah's request is the Ute Indian Tribe, which maintains that Utah's bid includes 1.5 million acres of tribal lands on the Uncompahgre Reservation. In 2018 the tribe sued the federal government "asserting that the 1,500,000 acres of land which the United States owns on the Uncompahgre is either tribal trust land or must be returned to tribal trust ownership."

In that lawsuit, the tribe claims that the federal government in 1880 forced Ute tribal bands living in Colorado to relocate to the reservation in Utah. While that 1880 Act created the 1.8 million-acre reservation, the federal government retained ownership of 1.5 million acres, the filing states. In 1945, however, the Interior Department ordered the federal lands to be turned over to tribal trust ownership, the document adds.

Whether that transfer actually occurred is in question in the tribe's current case against the federal government. Utah, meanwhile, in its request for the Supreme Court to hear its bid to obtain BLM lands in the state, includes those 1.5 million acres in the 18.5 million acres it is hoping to

acquire, the tribe said.

In December, a federal district court is scheduled to hear arguments in the Ute Indian Tribe v.

United States on whether the 1.5 million acres are already considered tribal trust land or must formally be turned over to the tribe. "...Utah and the United States are both aligned against the Tribe. Both argue that the 1,500,000 acres of land that the United States owns on the Uncompahgre are federal public lands. Only the Tribe would make the legally correct argument that under the 1880 Act, the lands are not federal public lands," the tribe's motion to intervene states.

History Matters History matters, but it also can be interpreted differently.

In its filing, the state of Utah argues that Congress early made a practice of relinquishing lands to newly formed states.

Furthermore, the state argues, the federal government never intended to hold onto the land in the Utah Territory that was not initially given the new state.

"Congress made clear that it was obligated to dispose of the federal lands in Utah, not retain them in perpetuity," reads the filing. "Congress specifically prohibited the territorial legislature from passing any law 'interfering with the primary disposal of the soil,' and instructed that 'when the lands in the said Territory shall be surveyed …preparatory to bringing the same into market,' two sections in each township would be reserved for schools. Congress thus plainly understood...the federal government would hold the unappropriated public lands in that territory only on a temporary basis, not as a permanent federal fiefdom."

In opposing Utah's filing, the Justice Department in its own filing last week noted the state's constitution had relinquished any claim to lands the federal government did not convey to it at statehood and that only Congress, not the Judicial Branch, can dispose of federal lands. Beyond that, the state should have brought its case to federal district court, a more appropriate place for jurisdiction and procedural issues that Utah raises, the government said.

"Utah alleges that the United States is 'simply holding' '18.5 million acres' of land in Utah without 'using it to execute any of its enumerated powers," the DOJ response said. ”Before a court could determine whether that assertion is correct and craft appropriate relief, it would need to resolve any factual disputes about how those 18.5 million acres are being used. [The Supreme Court] is poorly suited to perform that task in the first instance. In any event, the benefits of litigation in the lower courts go beyond the district court’s superior capacity to find facts. For example, the lower courts can sort through threshold jurisdictional and procedural BLM Lands Cont'd on B3

The Insider

December 12, 2024

B3

BLM Lands: Utah argues only that the United States can’t keep the land. Presumably the United States could sell the

lands to the highest bidder. Would the people of Utah be better off if the lands were bought by a billionaire who chose to exclude the public? By a hedge fund manager or foreign investor with no long-term stake in Utah or its economy? What would happen if Arizona and California teamed up to buy lands with valuable water rights only to then allow that water to flow downstream to thirsty population centers?

—John Ruple, the Wallace Stegner Center Law & Policy program director at the University of Utah BLM Lands Cont'd from B2

issues, such as those raised here."

The DOJ filing noted that the United States "has owned public lands since its founding," including claims ceded by original states to land west of the Appalachian Mountains and lands acquired during the nation's 19th century westward expansion.

"Through the cession of territory by foreign sovereigns—as in the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican Cession, and the Alaska Purchase—and subsequent negotiations with Indian tribes, the United States acquired not only sovereignty over the region, but also title to the public lands within it," the department pointed out.

The BLM through its management over the lands in its portfolio can sell some if "it is determined that disposal of a particular parcel will serve the national interest," as in the historic opening of rail lines, the lawyers pointed

out.

The government's brief also notes that early in the 20th century Congress considered bills to turn over some lands, including those that Utah now wants, to the states. "Utah Governor George H. Dern led the fight against those proposals," DOJ writes. "Governor Dern 'testified that Utah could not adequately manage these lands and that, indeed, the state was not interested in accepting them.”

Going back further in time, the department points out that the Founding Fathers saw value in the government owning land.

"James Madison described the western lands as 'a mine of vast wealth to the United States,' and he expressed hope that, under 'proper management,' those lands would furnish 'liberal tributes to the federal treasury,'" the lawyers noted.

Back at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Bloch pointed out that the Western Governors Association in 2016 asked the attorneys general from their

member states to explore the question of whether federal lands could be turned over to the states, and the answer was no.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, presidentelect Trump's choice to run the Interior Department, hasn't said where he stands on Utah's filing, according to his office.

Careful What You Wish For Ruple at the Wallace Stegner Center wonders if Utah residents really would prefer to see their elected officials prevail before the Supreme Court.

"Utah’s remedy lies in the halls of Congress, not with the courts. The problem is not that the United States isn’t complying with the law, but that the law does not give Utah’s elected leaders what they so desperately want," he said. "The remedy is to change the law to make it align more closely with those values—if Utah can convince a majority in Congress that existing laws are indeed unjust.

"But let’s assume

for the moment that I am wrong and that the Supreme Court orders the United States to convey away title to the unappropriated public lands within Utah. Utah has not presented any legal claim to ownership of those lands, and it can’t because it disclaimed those rights as a condition of statehood," Ruple added. "Utah argues only that the United States can’t keep the land. Pre-

sumably the United States could sell the lands to the highest bidder. Would the people of Utah be better off if the lands were bought by a billionaire who chose to exclude the public? By a hedge fund manager or foreign investor with no long-term stake in Utah or its economy? What would happen if Arizona and California teamed up to buy lands with valuable water rights only to then allow

that water to flow downstream to thirsty population centers?

"Those scenarios may not come to pass but we should, at a minimum, think carefully about what may happen if the state 'wins.'"

This article has been republished with permission and was originally published in the National Parks Traveler on November 24, 2024.

Gift Ideas: Surprise your friends or family with a Utah

fishing or hunting license for Christmas or by paying for their registration fee for a hunting or fishing challenge. They make thoughtful presents, are easy to buy, and can be used year-round.

Gift Ideas Cont'd from A1

ing, Utah also offers several hunts during the winter months. Hunts for several upland game species, including cottontail rabbit, chukar and gray (Hungarian) partridge, snowshoe hare and the fall general-season turkey hunt run through most of the winter. Annual Utah fishing and hunting licenses are 365-day licenses, so the license is valid starting the day you buy it, and the recipient can start using it immediately.

“Hunting and fishing are some of the most incredible ways to experience the beautiful outdoors of Utah because you get to explore an area in ways you likely wouldn’t otherwise,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. “A combination license is the gift that keeps on giving because you can use it year-round for the different seasons of fishing and hunting. It’s a great way to spend time with your loved ones and to make unforgettable memories.”

Buying a hunting or fishing license online is the easiest way to get one. However, you can also buy a fishing or hunting license at one of the six Utah Division of Wildlife Resources offices or from any fishing and hunting license agent across Utah. Combination licenses—which allow the license holder to fish and hunt small game—are also available at the same locations and on the website.

To buy a license for someone, you need some of their information, including: • Name • Approximate height and weight • Eye color • Hair color • Date of birth • Mailing address • Phone number If you buy a license online, you can have it mailed to you so you can wrap it and give it as a gift, or have it mailed directly to the person you’re buying it for. It usually takes about ten days for a license to arrive in the mail, so order one early if you want it to arrive in time for Christmas.

If the person you’re buying the license for is 18 years of age or older, instead of buying a oneyear license, you also have

the option of buying a license that’s valid for up to five years.

If the person you’re buying for already has a license, you can extend the period of time when their current license is valid. For example, if the person you’d like to buy for has a license that will expire next April, you can buy a license extension for them now. The extension will keep their license valid for one, two, three, four or five years from the day the license was supposed to expire.

Be aware, however, that a license extension may be bought only for a license that will expire within six months from the day you buy the extension. For example, if a license doesn’t expire until November 2024, the earliest you can buy an extension for it is June 2024, six months before it expires.

Utah resident license costs are as follows: • Combination license (ages 14-17): $20 • Combination license (ages 18-64): $44 • Combination license (age 65 and older): $35 • Fishing license (ages 12-13): $5 • Fishing license (ages 14-17): $16 • Fishing license (ages 18-64): $40 • Fishing license (age 65 and older): $31 • Hunting license (age 13 and under): $11 • Hunting license (ages 14-17): $16 • Hunting license (ages 18-64): $40 • Hunting license (age 65 and older): $31 Gift givers should also note that hunting and combination licenses do not include a deer or elk permit and do not allow someone to hunt big game. Hunters can apply for a 2025 general-season buck deer permit starting March 20, 2025. Generalseason elk permits will be available, on a first-come, first-served basis, in July.

Utah Cutthroat Slam Another great gift idea for the angler in your life is a registration fee for the Utah Cutthroat Slam.

The goal of the slam is for anglers to catch each of the four native Utah cutthroat trout—Bonneville, Colorado River, Bear River and Yellowstone—in their historic ranges. Registration costs $20 for adults and $10 for youth, and you can register online. All but $1 of the registration cost is

dedicated to conservation projects throughout the state that help native cutthroat trout. If you have previously completed the slam, new limited-release medallions are currently available. The slam can provide a fun challenge and a great way to get outdoors.

Waterfowl Slam If you have an avid hunter in your life, consider gifting them the opportunity to add an extra challenge for their hunting season. Hunters earn one of the Utah Waterfowl Slams by completing different requirements, such as harvesting a group of species in a certain time period or location. There are currently ten waterfowl slams with different difficulty levels, so you can find a variety of fun, unique challenges. Along with trying something new, hunters who complete the slams also earn colorful, collectible leg bands.

The entry fee for the waterfowl slams is $20 for hunters 18 years of age or older or $10 for hunters 17 years of age or younger. You can pay for the entry fee online or at any available license agent. The money earned from the slam is used to complete habitatimprovement projects on waterfowl management areas across the state.

Upland Game Slam Similar to the waterfowl slams, hunters can complete the eight Utah Upland Game Slams by harvesting the required amount of the target species. Each one is designed to give you an extra challenge while you're hunting, as well as the opportunity to earn a commemorative, collectible coin.

The entry fee is $20 for hunters 18 years of age or older, or $10 for hunters 17 years of age or younger. You can pay for the entry fee on the DWR website or at available license agents. Funds earned from the slams help pay for upland game habitat projects, which have improved multiple sites and allowed DWR biologists to establish upland species in new areas across the state.

So, if you are having a hard time finding stocking stuffers this holiday season, don’t worry— we’ve got you covered.

—Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

B4

The Insider

December 12, 2024

Legal Notices NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR BIDS HANKSVILLE TOWN The Town of Hanksville is seeking qualified contractors to submit bids for the following construction projects: • Two (2) 16'x24' Lean-To Pavilion • One (1) 40'x20' Barn-Style Pavilion Project Scope: • 16'x24' Lean-To Pavilions: Construction of two pavilions with a lean-to design, including all required materials, labor, and construction services.

• 40'x20' Barn-Style Pavilion: Construction of one barn-style pavilion, including all required materials, labor, and construction services.

• The town has the plans for each pavilion and are available upon request.

All bids must be submitted in writing, specifying cost breakdowns, completion timeline, and qualifications to clerk@hanksvilleutah.gov. For questions about this project, contact the clerk at 435-542-3451 or by email.

The anticipated start date for these projects is upon award of bid.

The Hanksville Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12 & 19, 2024 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CENTRAL UTAH HEALTH DEPARTMENT The Central Utah Health Department will hold a public hearing to discuss the 2024 Amended Budget, the proposed 2025 Budget, and the 2025 Fee Schedule.

Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Central Utah Health Department Office at 70 Westview Drive, Richfield The public is invited to attend and provide input.

Copies of the proposed budgets and fee schedule are available for review at the Health Department office during regular business hours.

For more information, call 435-896-5451.

Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12, 2024 REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS BICKNELL TOWN Bicknell Town Request For Sealed Bids - Bicknell Town is soliciting bids from qualified General Contractors/Engineering Firms for a community greenhouse project in Bicknell Town. This Request for Sealed Bids (RFB) is being issued as a bidding process to select a qualified contractor/firm to provide construction services for the aforementioned project. Project rating criteria can be found in the full RFB. Please review the full RFB for details and submittal instruction. The full RFB can be found attached to the RFB notice online on the Utah Public Notice Website. You can also pick up a copy of the full RFB at 64 W. 100 N. Bicknell, UT 84715. Bids must be received before 2:00 p.m. on December 19, 2024. No bids will be accepted after the closing date and time.

Published on the Utah Public Notice Website on December 12.

Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12, 2024

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS MARYSVALE TOWN MARYSVALE – SILVER KING FIRE EWP PHASE 1: CLEARING AND GRUBBING DOCUMENT 001113 Sealed Bids for the construction of the Marysvale – Silver King Fire EWP Phase 1 project will be received,

by Marysvale Town online at Quest CDN until 2:00 pm local time on December 23, 2024 at which time the Bids received will be opened and read. The Project consists of the following: Clearing and snagging operations to address flood risks worsened by recent wildfires. The work includes the removal of vegetation, fallen trees, and debris from stream channels and riparian areas, following NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) standards. All trees with a diameter of 10 inches or less are to be removed 12” from existing ground to restore natural flow conditions, reduce obstructions, and enhance stream capacity ahead of the spring runoff. The project will target high-priority areas in Bullion Canyon and surrounding tributaries, focusing on debris clearance while minimizing environmental impacts.

The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is: Ensign Engineering, 225 N. 100 E., RICHFIELD, UT 84701 Kelly Crane; 435-590-0187, kcrane@ensignutah.com. Electronic copies of the bid documents will be made available on Ensign Engineering’s website at www. ensigneng.com/index.php/bid-access.

A pre-bid conference will be held on site on December 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM. All potential bidders are strongly encouraged to attend or visit the site. The last day for questions is December 18, 2024.

Bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders.

Owner: MARYSVALE TOWN By: William Davis Title: Town Mayor Date: 12/2/2024 Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12 & 19, 2024

NOTICE TO WATER USERS The applications below were filed with the Division of Water Rights in Wayne County. These are informal proceedings per Rule 655-6-2. Protests concerning an application must be legibly written or typed, contain the name and mailing address of the protesting party, STATE THE APPLICATION NUMBER PROTESTED, CITE REASONS FOR THE PROTEST, and REQUEST A HEARING, if desired. Also, A $15 FEE MUST BE INCLUDED FOR EACH APPLICATION PROTESTED. Protests must be filed with the Division of Water Rights on or before Jan. 1, 2025 either electronically using the Division`s on-line Protest of Application form, by hand delivery to a Division office, or by mail at PO Box 146300, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6300. Please visit waterrights.utah.gov or call (801)538-7240 for additional information.

GARFIELD COUNTY CHANGE APPLICATION(S) 61-3526 (a52320): Matthew Ortiz and Summer Ortiz propose(s) using 0.45 ac-ft. from groundwater (6 miles NE of Panguitch) for DOMESTIC. 61-3538 (a52329): Family Trust of The George R. Aiken Jr. and Donna M. Aiken Revocable Trust propose(s) using 1.5 ac-ft. from groundwater (4 miles south of Hatch) for DOMESTIC; IRRIGATION; STOCKWATERING. 61-3537 (a52371): Janet Kacskos propose(s) using 0.0513 cfs OR 4 ac-ft. from groundwater (14 miles NW of Panguitch) for IRRIGATION. NONUSE APPLICATION(S) 61-2441 (): Gregory J. and Shauna M. Walch Family Trust is/are seeking a nonuse period for 0.5 ac-ft. from the South Fork Sevier River (6.5 miles SW of Hatch) for IRRIGATION. 61-2731 (): Gregory J. and Shauna M. Walch Family Trust is/are seeking a nonuse period for 0.5 ac-ft. from the South Fork Sevier River (6.5 miles SW of Hatch) for IRRIGATION. Teresa Wilhelmsen, P.E., State Engineer Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 5 & 12, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE ESCALANTE CITY Escalante City Office Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Escalante City Council meetings will be held on the dates listed below unless there is no need for a meeting.

They are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., in the Escalante City Council Chambers, 56 N. 100 W. 2025 MEETINGS July 01 January 07 July 15 January 21 August 5 February 4 August 19 February 18 September 02 March 4 September 16 March 18 October 07 April 01 October 21 April 15 November 04 May 06 November 18 May 20 December 02 June 03 December 16 June 17 Escalante City Planning and Zoning meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. or as needed in the Escalante City Council Chambers 56 N. 100 W. Escalante Cemetery Maintenance District meetings are held the first Monday of each quarter at 6:00 p.m. or as needed in the Escalante City Council Chambers 56 N. 100W. Municipal Building Authority of Escalante City will be held as needed in the Escalante City Council Chambers 56 N. 100 W. Stephanie Steed, MMC City Recorder Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12, 2024

GARFIELD COUNTY SURPLUS SALE GARFIELD COUNTY IS ACCEPTING SEALED BIDS ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 2022 Ford F250 3- 2023 GMC Sierras 2018 Chevy Impala 2014 Dodge 1500 Rosco Pneumatic Roller Bomag Pnuematic Roller 2020 Bobcat Backhoe Attachment Massey Ferguson Tractor with Front Loader Bucket Coats 40-40 Tire Machine Mid 1990s Chip Spreader John Deer Tractor 1987 CMC Trailer 1978 Belly Dump Trailer Commercial Deep Fryer BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED IN THE COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE UNTIL 5:00 P.M., DECEMBER 18TH, 2024. BIDS WILL BE OPENED THURSDAY DECEMBER 19TH, 2024 IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS OF THE GARFIELD COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 55 SOUTH MAIN STREET, PANGUITCH, UTAH. THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION. All vehicles will be sold in “as is” condition, and all sales will be final. Purchases can be made with cash or certified check. Garfield County reserves the right to accept or reject any and all offers. For additional information contact the Clerk’s Office at (435) 676-1100 or www.garfield.utah.gov.

Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 5 & 12, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE PAUNSAUGUNT CLIFFS SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICT Paunsaugunt Cliffs Special Service District will hold a public hearing on Monday, December 16, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town of Hatch Community Center, 49 West Center in Hatch, Utah for opening of the 2024 budget and to adopt the 2025 budget.

Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 12, 2024

BOARD VACANCY HATCH TOWN Hatch Town Board has one position to fill for a Hatch Town board member. Interested applicants must be a full-time resident and reside inside Hatch Town limits. This position is an appointed position until the next election. Please turn in a brief explanation of why you would want to be on the town board to the Hatch Town Office no later than January 6, 2025. We will contact all applicants for an interview to be held at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on January 15, 2025. If you need more information, please contact Jacie Torgersen at 435735-4364 Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on DECEMBER 5 & 12, 2024

The Insider

December 12, 2024

Utah Shoppers Could Struggle Finding 'Made in America' Gifts This Season

by Alex Gonzalez | Utah News Connection UTAH - Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, went after the popular and affordable e-commerce company called Temu earlier this year for its failure to comply with U.S. law. Now, new data show a majority of Americans said they would like to buy American-made goods but it is not as easy as it sounds.

A new poll from the Alliance for American Manufacturing found despite a strong consumer preference for goods

"Made in America," retailers and online merchants tend to offer a smaller selection of domestic products compared with imported goods.

Scott Paul, president of the alliance, reported 77% of Americans prefer their purchases be American-made, especially during the holidays.

"Three in five Americans say they have made a conscious effort to seek out an American-made product over the past year," Paul noted.

Figures show small businesses account for the vast majority of Utah businesses. According to Amazon's Small Business Impact Report, independent merchants in the Beehive State sold more than 111 million items last year.

Paul acknowledged while U.S. made gifts may have a slightly higher price tag, they do not come with what he called the "ethical baggage" of some items made in other countries.

"We know from reports that a lot of them are

not made particularly well, that have some toxins in them," Paul outlined.

"And may come from supply chains that have forced labor."

The survey found around 20% of holiday shoppers plan to use sites, such as TikTok or Temu but Paul emphasized there are plenty of Americanmade options. He added the Alliance's online 2024 Holiday Gift Guide lists products from more than 100 manufacturers made in all 50 states.

B5

Calassified ds HELP WANTED

Sanitation Service Operator

Wayne County is accepting applications for the following full time, benefit eligible position: Title: Sanitation Service Operator FLSA Status: Full time, non-exempt GENERAL PURPOSE Performs a variety of duties related to the operation of the Wayne County Long Hollow Landfill and the Hanksville Class II landfill.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED Works under direction of the Sanitation Department Supervisor SUPERVISION EXERCISED None ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Operate, maintain, and repair all equipment at the landfill. Loader, excavator, dump trucks, belly dump, dozer, garbage trucks, roll off truck.

• Garbage and trash collection and disposal within service area as needed.

• Move dirt and cover garbage.

• Work scale house and assist customers at the landfill as needed.

• Maintain all areas of the landfill.

• Deliver and repair garbage cans as needed.

• Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 1. Required knowledge, skills and abilities: Thorough knowledge of: hazards common to heavy equipment operation; equipment maintenance and repair standards; Skill in interpersonal communications and cooperative problem solving; the operation of heavy mechanized equipment as required, (i.e., Front End Loader, Dump Truck, Belly Dump, Forklift, Dozer, etc).

Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing; develop and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, subordinates, and the public.

2. Special Qualifications: Must possess or be able to acquire a valid Class “A” Commercial Drivers License (CDL). Must possess a valid Utah Drivers License with no DUI, or no more than two (2) moving violations in the past twelve (12) months. Must be able to pass ICC physical and maintain medical certificate. Must be able to comply with applicable County and departmental policies and safety standards. Must be willing to maintain a flexible working schedule, and occasionally work weekends, holidays, and shifts. Must submit to and pass randomly administered drug tests.

3. Work Environment: Tasks require a variety of physical activities, occasionally involving muscular strain, such as walking, standing, stooping, sitting, reaching, and lifting. May be required to lift up to 50 pounds or more on occasion. Talking, hearing and seeing is essential to the performance of daily job functions. Common eye, hand, finger, leg and foot dexterity exist. Mental application utilizes memory for details, verbal instructions, emotional stability, discriminating thinking and some creative problem solving. Daily travel in automobile or heavy equipment required in job performance.

Applications can be obtained from the Wayne County Clerk's Office, 18 South Main, Loa, UT 84747, or by calling 435-836-1300 and requesting one to be sent to you. Applications will be accepted until job is filled. Please include cover letter and resume, including references, with the application. Please call the Clerk's Office with any questions.

Felicia Snow Wayne County Clerk/Auditor

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

The Insider

B6

C l a s s i f i e d ads

December 12, 2024

To place your ad, call 435-826-4400 or email snapshot@live.com

Classified ads start at just $7.50 per week for 25 words or less.

HELP WANTED

MEETINGS

Wayne Community Health Center

TROPIC AA MEETING Wednesday at 6 PM. Tropic Heritage Center. All meetings are closed discussion.

Position Announcements

POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Garfield County School District is hiring for the following positions. For the application process and description of each, please see the district website www.garfk12.org Athletic Announcer at Bryce Valley High School Substitute/Activity Bus Drivers Para-Professionals/Aides at All Schools Substitutes for Teachers, Custodians, and Food Service Workers SALARY: Please see 2024-2025 Garfield County School Districts Classified, District Office, and Certified Salary Schedules on the district website.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must be fingerprinted and satisfactorily pass an employment background check.

Garfield County School District is an equal opportunity employer.

Garfield County School District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications.

We are looking for friendly, hardworking professionals who enjoy the hospitality industry and interaction with guests.

P O S I T I O N S AVA I L A B L E: Front Desk Agents Laundry Services Housekeepers Maintenance Bellmen Positions to start April 1st through October 31st At Capitol Reef Resort we promote from within.

Please stop by in person to complete an application.

We are located at 2600 E SR 24, Torrey, UT 84775 435-425-3761

Escalante AA Meeting

Winter schedule: Tues. & Fri. at 6pm Call 435-676-3653 All meetings are closed discussion

sudoku Answers for this week

Dental Assistant at WCHC Bicknell

fice!

Join our team as a motivated Dental Assistant at WCHC Bicknell Dentist Of-

Are you a dedicated and enthusiastic individual seeking a rewarding career in the dental field?

WCHC Dental is currently seeking a Part Time or Full-Time Dental Assistant to become a valuable member of our dynamic team.

Why choose WCHC Dental: • Competitive benefits package tailored to your working hours • An inclusive and supportive work environment • Opportunity for professional growth and development Position Overview: As a Dental Assistant at WCHC Dental, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our dental practice. Your responsibilities will include: • Interacting with patients in a friendly and compassionate manner • Proficiently taking X-rays and supporting chair-side procedures • Managing scheduling, charting, and documenting dental visits using computer systems • Ensuring thorough sterilization of dental instruments • Setting up and maintaining a clean and organized operatory and office space Preferred Qualifications (not required): We value experience, but are also excited to provide training to individuals new to the field. If you have any of the following qualifications, it’s a plus: • Dental assisting experience • Exposure to Pediatric, Endodontic, Oral Surgery, and General Dentistry • Familiarity with computer charting and Digital X-rays • X-ray Certification • CPR Certification How to Apply: We encourage all interested candidates to apply, regardless of your level of experience. If you’re passionate about dental health and eager to contribute to a supportive team, we want to hear from you! Please email your resume to aellett@ waynechc.org and take the first step toward an exciting career with WCHC Dental.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of our patients. Apply today!

Dental Assistant at Escalante Dental

Join our team as a motivated Dental Assistant at Escalante Dental!

Are you a dedicated and enthusiastic individual seeking a rewarding career in the dental Field?

Escalante Dental is currently seeking a Part-Time Dental Assistant to become a valuable member of our dynamic team.

Why choose Escalante Dental: • Competitive benefits package tailored to your working hours • An inclusive and supportive work environment • Opportunity for professional growth and development Position Overview: As a Dental Assistant at Escalante Dental, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our dental practice. Your responsibilities will include: • Interacting with patients in a friendly and compassionate manner • Proficiently taking X-rays and supporting chair-side procedures • Managing scheduling, charting, and documenting dental visits using computer systems • Ensuring thorough sterilization of dental instruments • Setting up and maintaining a clean and organized operatory and office space Preferred Qualifications (not required): We value experience, but are also excited to provide training to individuals new to the field. If you have any of the following qualifications, it's a plus: • Dental assisting experience • Exposure to Pediatric, Endodontic, Oral Surgery, and General Dentistry • Familiarity with computer charting and Digital X-rays • X-ray Certification • CPR Certification How to Apply: We encourage all interested candidates to apply, regardless of your level of experience. If you're passionate about dental health and eager to contribute to a supportive team, we want to hear from you! Please email your resume to aellett@waynechc.org and take the first step toward an exciting career with Escalante Dental.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of our patients. Apply today!

Medical Assistant at Kazan Memorial Clinic

Job Opening: 1 Full-Time Medical Assistant and 1 As Needed Medical Assistant We are seeking a dedicated, professional, and compassionate Medical Assistant to join our team. The ideal candidate will provide excellent patient care, assist in clinical and administrative tasks, and work collaboratively with our healthcare providers. Offering a full-time position and an as-needed position.

Location: Kazan Memorial Clinic Key Responsibilities: • Greet and prepare patients for examinations and procedures • Take and record patient histories, vital signs, and other necessary information • Assist physicians with exams, treatments, and minor procedures • Administer medications, injections, and vaccinations as directed by physicians • Prepare and sterilize medical equipment • Schedule patient appointments and manage patient flow • Maintain accurate patient records and assist with billing and coding • Handle patient inquiries and provide excellent customer service • Ensure the cleanliness and organization of exam rooms and work areas • Support the overall operation of the medical office Qualifications: • Certification as a Medical Assistant (CMA, RMA, or equivalent) is preferred but on-the-job training is available.

• High school diploma or equivalent required • Minimum of 1 year of experience in a clinical setting preferred • Knowledge of medical terminology, office procedures, and basic clinical tasks • Strong communication and interpersonal skills • Ability to multi-task and stay organized in a fast-paced environment • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and medical software systems Compensation: • Competitive wage based on experience • Medical & Dental Benefits - Full-Time Employee’s Benefits are covered in full.

- Employees pay 50% of the cost for dependents.

• After a year of full-time employment, Long Term Disability is purchased by WCHC & paid 50% by employee • Eligible for Life Insurance up to 50k at no cost after 60 days.

• Eligible for supplemental insurance through Aflac/Liberty National.

• 401K is offered on the day of hire—WCHC Matches up to 5%. After 60 days.

• Flex Spending: You will be eligible on January 1st.

• 4 hours of sick leave accrued a pay period.

• 4 hours annual leave accrued a pay period. (Cannot exceed 240 hrs.)

• 8 hours holiday pay: - New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth (June 19th), July 4th, July 24th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving day, The day after Thanksgiving (instead of Veterans Day), Christmas Day • Employees and Families also get a percentage discount in each department.

(Medical, Dental, Pharmacy) How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume to josiem@waynechc.org We look forward to welcoming a new member to our team, which is committed to providing exceptional patient care!

Wayne Community Health Centers Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. The Wayne Community Health Centers are committed to providing high quality health services to our communities’ residents and visitors. Its purpose is to provide quality health services to all people including those facing financial, geographic and/or cultural barriers to healthcare.