INSIDER
Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Bryce • Tropic • Antimony • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder • Fremont • Loa • Lyman Bicknell • Teasdale • Torrey • Grover • Fruita • Caineville • Hanksville
Thursday, December 26, 2013 • Issue # 1028
Escalante Elementary Celebrates “#1” Designation ESCALANTE - On December 12 the faculty and students of Escalante Elementary School celebrated being the #1 public school in the state of Utah among elementary and middle schools. The day started off just as any other day because there is no way that the hard working teachers at EES were going to allow very much academic time to be used for “celebrating” which is one of the reasons that Escalante Elementary has continually scored very well in all aspects of academics. After lunch was served the students and staff were all given a tee-shirt. Superintendent Ben Dalton, board members Michael Savage, Myron Cottam, Cheryl Cox, Ken Platt and Mayor Jerry Taylor along with the Escalante Fire Department and EMS all came and joined Escalante Elementary in a triumphant parade down main street. Hundreds of parents, grandparents and towns-
people came to Main Street and honked in support of the fine students of Escalante Elementary. The parade concluded at the high school where all of the community was invited to listen to Superintendent Dalton and Mayor Taylor deliver a couple of fiery speeches reminiscent of the great Vince Lombardi and then we moved to the lunchroom where cake and hot chocolate were served by a group of volunteer parents. As the principal of Escalante Elementary School I would like to personally thank all of those who have helped over the years to make our school what it is today. Much like anything else in rural Utah, it is a group effort and without everybody taking an active role Escalante Elementary would not be where it is today. I hope that we can continue to work together to set high goals and achieve those goals. —Principal Eugene King
Wayne County Commissioner Rob Williams with Jessica and Duke Alvey, owners of Red Desert, Inc.
Red Desert Inc. Named Wayne County’s 2013 Business of the Year WAYNE CO - Red Desert, Inc. was selected as Wayne County’s Business of the Year for the care, concern and loyalty they show to their businesses and community in Hanksville. Business owners Duke and Jessica Alvey have proven to be leaders in today’s because of the exceptional support they give to their employees, community and customers. Red Desert Inc. is the employer of 58 residents of Wayne County, all of whom live in Hanksville, a small town with only 219 residents, making Red Desert Inc. the employer of 26% of Hanks-
ville’s population. Duke and Jessica have been very active in participating in various programs and trainings to become a valueadded business. They have also enrolled their employees in trainings to better educate them in how to give the best customer service possible. Duke and Jessica are always seeking a way to improve their businesses, and it reflects not only on their business, but their community as well. Stan’s Burger Shak was opened in a little room off the side of Johnson’s grocery store in Hanksville by Stan and Deena Alvey in 1984. As the pop-
ularity of Lake Powell grew so did the reputation of Stan’s fabulous burgers, shakes and onion rings! Soon after opening, Stan and his son Dennis (Duke) began construction of the new “Shak” just down the road at the intersection of Highways 24 & 95. This proved to be a very profitable move as Lake Powell enthusiasts from all over flocked to their doors. Soon Stan saw the need for lodging in Hanksville and built the Whispering Sands Motel in 1992. In 1996, Stan and Deena then built Stan’s Chevron. In 1998, Duke and Jessica formed an Scorp call Red Desert Inc. and
Stan’s Burger Shak became a DBA of that corporation. By 2001 Stan’s Burger Shak had far outgrown its facility and was moved to a new location by adding onto the Chevron station. In July of 2005, Stan and Deena were ready to retire and began leasing Stan’s Chevron to Red Desert Inc. In 2010, Red Desert Inc. took over management of the Whispering Sands Motel by entering into an agreement to purchase that property as well. In 2013, Red Desert Inc. entered a lease/purchase agreement for the only full service restaurant and campground in Hanksville. On April 1, 2013, Duke’s Slickrock Grill and Campground opened for business. Red Desert Inc. has become the largest employer in Hanksville with 58 employees. Duke and Jessica not only offer employment to their small community, but also give of their time and talents in many civic duties, from being EMTs and members of the Search and Rescue, to serving on the Wayne Community Health Clinic Board and the Wayne County Business Association Board. They contribute to many organizations and many Wayne High School Programs including the WHS Scholarship Fund. Stan’s Burger Shak also offers high school student employees a $1,000.00 scholarship to be used toward their Education or a Mission. Stan’s Burger Shak strives to teach management skill to youth by using a ladder program. Beginning in 10th grade,
Business of the Year Cont’d on page 2
Garkane CEO Carl Albrecht Testifies Before Congress
Students, parents and supporters lined Escalante’s Main Street on Friday, December 12 to celebrate Escalante Elementary’s award as Utah’s number 1 elementary school.
Sign Up for Wayne 4-H Afterschool Adventures LOA - It’s that grand time of the year when all the little munchkins from third to fifth grades make their way to the USU Extension office for the 4-H After School Program! Once again this year we will be offering instruction in preparing nutritious snacks, physical activity, tutoring assistance, reading literacy and fun hands on projects. To enroll before school resumes in January contact the 4-H office (435-836-1312). Forms will also be distributed to the class rooms on January 2. Enrollment is limited so sign up soon! —Mary Sorenson, USU Extension, Wayne County
Avalanche Awareness Talk Scheduled for January 9
BICKNELL - Wayne County Search and Rescue is hosting an avalanche awareness talk put on by the Utah Avalanche Center. This program is open to the public, anyone who would like to learn more about avalanches is encouraged to attend. The program will be held at the Community Center in Bicknell, Thursday January 9 at 8:00 pm. —Cody Clark, Recreation Manager, Fremont River Ranger District, Fishlake National Forest
WASHINGTON, DC The Endangered Species Act, hailed for saving bald eagles and other majestic animals, impacts people, too, and not always in a good way. That’s the message Carl Albrecht brought to Capital Hill Dec. 12 at the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on how “mega” settlements reached under the law can negatively affect local economies and private property owners. “Garkane and other rural electric cooperatives across the nation believe that, in this the 40th year of the act, we must look at some type of reform to alleviate the ever-escalating economic burden being placed on the backs of the few,” Albrecht told the committee. The inflexibility of the law hit home when Garkane acquired the right of way to build a power line primarily on private property and stateowned lands. A small portion of the line was on Bureau of Land Management property. “We were abruptly ordered to stop construction when it was determined that two acres of Utah prairie dog habitat were within a 350-foot buffer of the project’s right of
way,” Albrecht said. Work on the co-op line was delayed for nine months while consultants for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service completed a survey, paid for by Garkane members. To restart the project, Garkane agreed to pay $20,000 to the National Wildlife Defense Fund and hired a biologist to monitor all the work within 350 feet of the habitat, Albrecht said. But there was more to come. A sage grouse strutting ground had been identified along the most economical alternative route for the transmission line. “Last month as part of the construction of a transmission line, which took us seven years and $2 million to permit, we were required to fly in, by helicopter, seven power poles to locations that were within yards of an existing public access road,” Albrecht said. Requiring poles to be set with a helicopter meant an additional single-day expense of more than $150,000 for Garkane, he said. “And recognize this all takes place while private landowners can obtain permits to kill prairie dogs on their land and sage grouse are hunted and killed by sportsmen in Utah,”
Carl reviewing notes before testifying before Congress on behalf of Garkane members said Albrecht. Under questioning by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Albrecht underscored the cost of $624,000 or an extra $52.22 per member for the past three years of the inflexible interpretation of the law on co-op members in rural economies. “That’s real money for families in southern Utah,” Albrecht said. “Any increase in the power bill is a lot of money.” While the committee is
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REGIONAL Weather forecast for some but not all regions represented in our newspaper coverage area
Thurs. dec. 26 - Jan. 2 SUNNY, MOSTLY. Highs throughout the week in the mid 30s to low 40s, nights ranging from teens to low 20s. Possibly some clouds Saturday and also on Monday/Tuesday but mostly clear skies projected and low winds.
People who throw kisses are hopelessly lazy. —Bob Hope (1903 - 2003)
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expected to further study the impacts of the act next year, Albrecht urged the lawmakers to inject some common sense into how it is carried out. “I believe it’s time we look back at what it means to have electricity in our homes, and other things that make this nation great, and return to a sense of reason and a more rational approach to the Endangered Species Act,” he said. —Garkane Energy
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