Issuu

The

NONPROFIT US POSTAGE PAID LAS VEGAS, NEVADA PERMIT No. 3587

Insider

*********ECRWSSEDDM****

POSTAL CUSTOMER

Support Local News!

Serving Wayne & Garfield Counties, Utah

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

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

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Issue #1682

insiderutah.com

Garfield Co. Summer 4-H Program Provides Youth with Opportunity to Learn Skills, While Serving the Community

Wayne County Commission

by Zoey Fawson | USU Home and Community Intern GARFIELD CO. The Garfield County Summer 4-H Program is a wonderful experience for the youth in our community. It gives students the opportunity to learn new skills, build friendships, serve their community, and have fun along the way. Throughout the summer, students explored a variety of topics, including STEM, arts and crafts, cooking, outdoor skills, service, and personal development. We met every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with occasional field trips that gave students the chance to take what they had learned outside the classroom.

late June, OED Deputy Director Tracy Rees and other staff along with representatives from private sector

WAYNE CO. - The prairie dogs aren't getting their fence just yet, but Wayne County is one step closer. Commissioners approved a $718,306 bid for construction of the long-discussed prairie dog fence at Wayne Wonderland Airport during their Aug. 17 meeting. HMH Excavation submitted the lowest of seven bids received for the project, well below the original engineer's estimate of about $940,000. Representatives from Jones & DeMille said construction is not expected to begin until May 1, 2027, because of restrictions involving migratory birds and prairie dog activity. The contractor will be allowed to purchase materials at current prices and store them through the winter. Commissioners

Operation Gigawatt

Wayne Commission

by Kathryn Chamberlain

Aug. 17, 2026

Utah’s Operation Gigawatt: Amping Up Alternative Energy Projects by Dave Cushing

One of the drilling rigs at the Fervo Energy Cape Station geothermal project near Milford. Drills bore 12,000to 19,000-deep feet holes and water is pumped down to make contact with superheated rock that produces steam for electric turbines. UTAH - Last summer, when Garkane Energy had to cut off all of Wayne County’s electric power during the Monroe Fire, it focused attention on something we all know and

many of us take for granted; namely, it’s tough going without electricity. This summer, staff from the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED) is visiting every Utah coun-

DWR Recommends Changes to Fishing Regulations for 2027-28, Other Items

NPS Celebrates 110th Birthday

Summer 4-H Cont'd on A2

Courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing some updates to several fishing regulations, elk hunting and a few other rule changes, and is seeking the public’s feedback on the proposals. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing some updates to several fishing regulations, elk hunting and a few other rule changes, and is seeking the public’s feedback on the proposals. Fishing regulation recommendations After conducting a survey to gather angler feedback—and reviewing some needed management changes—the DWR is proposing a variety of updated fishing regulations for various waterbodies and species

Courtesy Utah Office of Energy Development

across the state, including: Statewide • Allowing take with multiple methods—including angling, traps, underwater spearfishing, bowfishing, liftnets, dipnets, cast nets, seine or spear—for common carp, fathead minnow and redside shiner in any waterbody in Utah that is open to fishing. • Allowing take with multiple methods—including angling, traps, underwater spearfishDWR Changes Cont'd on A6

REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST

CAPITOL REEF NP The National Park Service (NPS) will celebrate its 110th birthday on August 25th, 2026, marking 110 years of protecting and preserving the United States of America’s cultural and natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations. Every year, tens of millions of people travel to national parks to enjoy the boundless breathtaking beauty, engaging educational experiences, and restful restorative recreational opportunities that national park sites have to offer. The 110th birthday of the NPS gives us an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy our public lands, 110th Birthday Cont'd on A3

ty and tribal land to talk electricity; namely, what are communities’ attitudes about energy development and, specifically, what do folks think about the state’s plans for nuclear power. In

Cont'd on B3

Cont'd on A5

Hard, Harder, or Soft by Karen Munson

Adobe Stock

85% of the United States has hard water, and southern Utah is no exception. The tap water in your home contains dissolved minerals; the levels of calcium and magnesium specifically determine the “hardness” of your water. The higher the mineral content, the harder the water is. Ours in southern Utah is among the highest in the nation. SO. UTAH - Whether your toilet water is yellow all the time, you are making Kool-Aid to mask the taste of the well water, or your shower smells like

boiled eggs, you know you have hard water in your pipes. 85% of the United States has hard water, and southern Utah is no excep-

tion. The tap water in your home contains dissolved minerals; the levels of Water Cont'd on A3

UPCOMING EVENTS... Panguitch Cruizin' Old 89 Car Show

Sept. 4 & 5

Escalante Canyons Art Festival

Sept. 18-27

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

THURS. AUGUST 27 - WED. SEPTEMBER 2

Mostly sunny to partly cloudy throughout the week. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Lows in the 60s. **Weather is subject to Change

Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles. —Charlie Chaplin

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

August 27, 2026

2026 Escalante Prevention Coalition Soap Box Derby

Emily Leach

The Meisenbach and Dutton family in their school bus soap box car (nicknamed the "Grandkid Express") during the 2026 Escalante Prevention Coalition (EPC) Soap Box Derby. The Derby took place on August 14 on Escalante's Main Street after the Moqui Motor Madness car show Cruise Down Main event.

Summer 4-H: The Garfield County Summer 4-H Program is about much

more than completing projects. It is about creating meaningful experiences, building confidence, developing new skills, serving others, and making memories with friends. Summer 4-H Cont'd from A1

USU Extension- Garfield County 4-H

Garfield County 4-H members explore the Paunsaugunt Western Wildlife Museum during the Aggie Adventures Field Trips. The Garfield County Summer 4-H Program gives students the opportunity to learn new skills, build friendships, serve their community, and have fun along the way. Throughout the summer, students explored a variety of topics, including STEM, arts and crafts, cooking, outdoor skills, service, and personal development. dents who attended regularly was very competitive, so we used that enthusiasm to encourage teamwork and community service. The students came up with different service projects they could complete during the summer and then voted on which project they liked best. We encouraged them to take their winning idea home and complete the project with their friends and families throughout the summer. The truth is that 4-H is made up of a multitude of different projects, activities, and ideas. What makes it so special is seeing students come together, learn from one another,

and find ways to make a positive difference in their community. We also spent time being creative through a variety of arts and crafts projects. Students made piñatas and puppets, baked delicious treats, and explored their creativity in many different ways. In addition to hands-on activities, we taught students about the importance of self-care and personal boundaries. They learned that boundaries can look different for everyone and that it is important to understand, communicate, and respect their own boundaries, as well as the boundaries of others. The Garfield County

Summer 4-H Program is about much more than completing projects. It is about creating meaningful experiences, building confidence, developing new skills, serving others, and making memories with friends. We would love to see your student at 4-H.

Insider

The

One of our first field trips this summer was to Pine Lake, where students participated in several stations centered around the theme of “Mountain Man.” They rotated through activities, such as outdoor cooking, ax throwing, canoeing, bracelet making, and a service project. The students had a great time trying each activity, but one of their favorite parts of the day was catching frogs. Another field trip the students especially enjoyed was our trip to Kanab. We started the day with a hike through Belly of the Dragon before heading to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. While there, students participated in a service project, where they painted benches and made different types of toys for the animals. They created toys for parrots, pigs, and dogs while learning about the many different animals cared for at Best Friends. They even had the opportunity to meet a parrot. We ended the day by cooling off and having fun at the Kanab splash pad. Back in the classroom, we worked on many different projects and activities. Some of the students’ favorites were the activities that turned into friendly competitions. The group of stu-

P.O. Box 105 Escalante, UT 84726 435-826-4400 email snapshot@live.com OUR MISSION: to foster community connection, civic engagement, economic resilience and journalistic integrity for rural southern Utah.

Publisher: Erica Walz Layout & Graphic Design: Emily Leach Reporter: Amiee Maxwell Reporter: Jaynie Connor Reporter: Kathryn Chamberlain Payroll: Trudy Stowe Illustrator: Kadi Franson

Local columnists:

Mack Oetting - FYI Panguitch Adus Dorsey - News from Wayne County

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 © 2026 The Wayne & Garfield County Insider, LLC/Corner Post Media. The Insider reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement or submitted content items. Articles submitted by independent writers may or may not be the opinion of The Insider.

Please feel free to contact us for advertising rates and with any questions regarding content submissions. We prefer content and ads submitted by email to snapshot@live.com, but we will accept your information any way you can get it to us. Digital subscriptions to The Insider are available at $35/year at insiderutah.com.

Content and ad deadline: Friday at Noon

Have a news tip or story idea? Email us at snapshot@live.com or call us at 435-826-4400

The Insider

August 27, 2026

Water: Whether your toilet water is yellow all the time,

you are making Kool-Aid to mask the taste of the well water, or your shower smells like boiled eggs, you know you have hard water in your pipes.

Water Cont'd from A1

calcium and magnesium specifically determine the “hardness” of your water. The higher the mineral content, the harder the water is. Ours in southern Utah is among the highest in the nation. Hard water can cause mineral buildup in your plumbing lines, faucets, and fixtures, as well as in your dishwasher and washing machine. Edson Alvey’s museum displayed an old kettle whose capacity was reduced to about half its original volume because of mineral deposits. We have opportunities and options pioneers did not have. Although hard well water may look, taste, and smell different from spring water, it is still safe to drink because of monthly municipal testing. Discoloration occurs when chlorine from the chlorinator plant reacts with iron in the water, producing various shades of yellow. Chlorine does two important things: it kills iron and disease-causing bacteria, and it oxidizes colorless, soluble iron into insoluble, red iron particles that can be removed. When dealing with hard water in your laundry, DO NOT use chlorine bleach to remove yellowing or potential iron stains. It will only cause a further chemical reaction. Use a non-chlorine bleach. If you do not do your laundry daily, the water settles in your pipes. Rather than flush the water during this season of water conservation, you might consider washing dark clothes first,

then whites after the lines are flushed. Hard water minerals bind to ingredients in laundry detergent, so you may need to use up to a third more detergent than you would in soft water. Never put clothes with rust stains in the dryer because the high heat will set the stain and make it extremely difficult to remove. Never use chlorine bleach to remove rust stains because it will permanently set them. A more economical and eco-friendlier method for rust removal is to sprinkle salt on the stain and dampen it with lemon juice. Dry the articles in the sun, then rinse. Test the procedure on a hidden portion of the article first, since the lemon juice may cause a color change. While doing laundry and dishwashing, vinegar also helps. Because vinegar is highly acidic, it creates a charge on mineral particles, causing them to be attracted to water molecules and easily washed away. One cup in the rinse cycle helps prevent soap buildup and mineral deposits in the clothes. While using your dishwasher, you may have noticed water spots and residue on your dishes. Again, vinegar is an easy and inexpensive solution. 1. Remove and clean the dishwasher filter. Replace. 2. Place a cup full of distilled white vinegar on the top rack. Do Not put the vinegar in the detergent dispenser since it may cause damage to internal components. 3. Run the empty dishwasher on a normal hot cycle without detergent.

4. When the cycle is over and the dishwasher is cool, wipe the door and sides down with a soft cloth. 5. Repeat monthly to keep lines clear of mineral deposits. In addition to these simple home remedies, you might consider getting a water softener and/ or a home filtration system. Each performs a different task. Filtration and softening are about purity and performance. Water filters remove contaminants such as chlorine, sediment, heavy metals, and microplastics. This improves the taste and smell of your water and reduces exposure to harmful compounds. Water softeners address hard minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, that cause scale buildup in pipes, faucets, and appliances. They don’t clean your water; they protect your home from mineral damage. There are also combo options to avoid duplicating installation and maintenance costs. While the initial expense (home systems can start around $1,500; reverse osmosis kitchen sink systems about $500) may be daunting, it will bring peace of mind, softer laundry, and better-smelling, better-tasting water. It will save time and money by eliminating the need to buy bottled water and by reducing detergent use. It can also bring peace of mind, knowing your body and your home are getting the best water available. We live in an amazing area. Having hard water is part of that package, but there are ways to get around it.

110th Birthday: The National Park Service (NPS) will

celebrate its 110th birthday on August 25th, 2026, marking 110 years of protecting and preserving the United States of America’s cultural and natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations. 110th Birthday Cont'd from A1

but also allows us to look back on all the progress and accomplishments that have occurred within the NPS in the last 110 years. Often called “America’s best idea,” the NPS was established on August 25th, 1916 through the signing of the Organic Act of 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. The Organic Act of 1916 set forth the purpose and mission of the NPS, a mission “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” This mission outlines the NPS as an organization dedicated not only to protecting cultural and historical resources, but also to providing recreation and education opportunities for the public, ensuring that the grandeur of our protected lands can always be enjoyed by everyone. While the Organic Act officially established the NPS in 1916, there were already over 30 national parks and national monuments in existence prior to this date. This in-

cludes Yellowstone, which was made our nation’s first national park in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant. But perhaps no person had greater impact on the early conservation and protection of public lands than President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt established numerous national parks and monuments during this time as president, including Crater Lake National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, and Montezuma Castle National Monument. Prior to the establishment of the NPS, early park sites were managed by an assortment of agencies, including the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and Department of War, most notable for the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-Black Army regiment who served as the first park rangers at Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park. Rather than manage sites separately, the Organic Act of 1916 created a single agency to oversee the entire national park system. Today the NPS is tasked with protecting our nation’s greatest wonders, managing 433 national park units, including 63 national parks, and over 80 million acres of land across all 50 states, the District of

Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Here locally, Capitol Reef was named a National Park in 1971 by President Richard Nixon, becoming America’s 35th National Park. The purpose of the NPS outlined by the Organic Act in 1916 continues to guide the NPS today, inspiring generations of park rangers, scientists, historians, custodians, and volunteers to work tirelessly as stewards of America’s greatest treasures. But more than that, America’s national parks serve as sanctuaries for members of the public looking to connect with nature and immerse themselves in this nation’s history and culture. From deserts to caves to mountains, from national parks to national battlefields to national seashores, there is something for everyone in the NPS. The NPS protects the story of America. It protects our nation’s landscapes, our nation’s wildlife, and our nation’s cultural heritage. As we celebrate 110 years of the NPS, we celebrate 110 years of “America’s best idea.” Let us continue to explore, learn about, and preserve America’s resources for generations yet to come.

The Insider

Wills, Trusts, and More An Estate is More Than Just Money by Jeffery J. McKenna

Even if your children are grown with families of their own, you can probably remember scenes of sibling rivalry when they were younger. In some families, the competition continues into adulthood; for others, it decreases as children mature. But it can all come flooding back while trying to divide up your estate after your death, as your children argue over who gets what. If you die without a will, a court will decide, based on state law, who will inherit your property. The result could well be contrary to your wishes. You have worked hard and accumulated assets— house, car, jewelry, investments, family heirlooms, etc. It is risky to simply expect your children to divide your assets evenly or work the distribution out for themselves. It is sure to create problems and mount expenses of probate, and your heirs will have to put up with courtappointed people making the family decisions. While many people worry about the federal estate tax, the truth is

most of us won’t have a tax problem under the current tax laws. But there is another tax that should be considered when formulating your estate plan—the “family tax.” The family tax should be of great concern. It is the emotional “tax” of the hard feelings paid by children and grandchildren when you do not express your wishes legally. It is also the financial price paid by charities that you would have gifted some of your assets to. You can make it easy on yourself and your loved ones by taking a few simple steps to ensure that your estate is in order. Whatever the size of your estate, large or small, the first step is to have your intentions put in writing. You can do this either in a basic will or a will plus the trust documents that will be needed to carry out your wishes. An estate planning professional can help you make the best decision for your individual financial and family situation. Once you have a plan

in place, it is usually a good idea to discuss your wishes with your family. If a family member has questions about the details, or has any quibbles, you can explain your reasons for structuring your estate plan as you have. Often a simple and direct explanation that makes sense to your family will set their minds at ease, and prevent future hard feelings. While your family shouldn’t dictate your actions, they should be informed about them. It is also a good idea to discuss division of your personal property. The method of making a list with a description of the property items and who you’d like to have them— with input from your children—can alleviate any hard feelings later. Putting together an estate plan is not as daunting as it might seem at first, and it pays big dividends in the long run. Not having an estate plan in place can cost you not only in dollars and cents, but could also cost you family discord.

Now with Richfield and Panguitch offices to serve clients in and 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 jeff@bmo.law or visit the firm’s website at www.bmolawfirm.com. He would enjoy hearing from you.

August 27, 2026

tHe lAuGhiNg pOiNt!! Circus A husband and wife who work for the circus go to an adoption agency looking to adopt a child, but the social workers there raise doubts about their suitability. So the couple produce photos of their 50-foot motor home, which is clean and well maintained and equipped with a beautiful nursery. The social workers are satisfied by this but then raise concerns about the kind of education a child would receive while in the couple’s care. The husband puts their mind at ease, saying, “We’ve arranged for a fulltime tutor who will teach the child all the usual subjects along with French, Mandarin, and computer skills.” Next though, the social workers express concern about a child being raised in a circus environment. This time the wife explains, “Our nanny is a certified expert in pediatric care, welfare, and diet.” The social workers are finally satisfied and ask the couple, “What age child are you hoping to adopt?” The husband says, “It doesn’t really matter, as long as the kid fits in the cannon.”

Overly Enthusiastic Baker

My neighbor decided to start baking bread during the weekend. By Sunday, he’d made so many loaves he started giving them away. I asked, “Why so much bread?” He said, “I read that baking is therapeutic.” I said, “And how’s that working out for you?” He looked at the mountain of bread behind him and said, “I feel great…but my kitchen has gluten anxiety.”

Overly Polite GPS

I bought a new GPS that’s way too polite. The other day, I missed a turn and instead of saying “Recalculating,” it said, “Oh… no worries, we can still get there… eventually.” Then I missed another turn and it said, “You know what? Let’s just go wherever your heart takes you.” By the third wrong turn, it sighed and said, “I’m not mad… I’m just disappointed.”

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

PUNishment

Someone told me you could watch a solar eclipse through a colander. I tried it and ended up just straining my eyes.

This week's answers on B5

THEME:

Emmys

ACROSS

nam tion

1. Cut off 6. "Be quiet!" 9. Yellowjacket 13. Brunch offering 14. Lawyers' org. 15. Capital of Viet16. Without illumina-

17. Harland David Sanders' title, abbr. 18. Abhorrence 19. *____ Theater, Emmys venue 21. *2026 Emmy Awards host 23. Fah follower 24. Like a certain eagle 25. Grill master's acronym 28. Aussie's neighbor 30. Kick the bucket 35. Look angry 37. Opposite of riches 39. Holiday spirit spreader 40. Soprano's song 41. Introduction 43. Flocculant, for short 44. Queen Elizabeth's favorite dog breed 46. Dog command 47. *____ show, like nominated "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" 48. Works dough 50. Highest volcano in Europe 52. "I agree" 53. Winter woe 55. Publisher's revenue source, pl. 57. *"Euphoria" Lead Actress nominee 61. *Most nominated series for 2026 Emmys (2 words) 65. Love, in Paris 66. Don't waste 68. Ottoman Empire VIP 69. Carried a torch 70. Biochemistry acr. 71. Scrabble pieces 72. Editor's "let it stand" 73. "____ or nothing" 74. Kind of peak

DOWN 1. Fish a.k.a. porgy 2. European sea eagle 3. Velum, pl. 4. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," e.g. 5. Did the test again 6. Quarterback's downfall 7. *Network/streamer with most nominations for 2026 Emmys 8. Chinese Checkers predecessor 9. Dry riverbed 10. Type of cuckoos 11. Middle Eastern market 12. Type of cotton fiber 15. Vast multitudes 20. Bird sound 22. Matterhorn, e.g. 24. Biased 25. *Nominee Jason Bateman's "____ Rabbit" 26. B on Mendeleev's table 27. One-twentieth of a ream 29. W in VFW. 31. Huck Finn's escape 32. Embedded design

33. Fur shawl 34. *Jean Smart's nominated comedy 36. Sitar music 38. *Assigned spot in #19 Across 42. Myna, alt. sp. 45. Driver's license alternative (2 words) 49. Sushi sauce 51. Experts 54. "Little House on the Prairie" protagonist 56. "The rain in ____ falls mainly on the plain" 57. Nukes 58. What exhaust pipes do 59. Opposite of all 60. Simon and Gurfunkel, e.g. 61. Bluish green 62. Robinson Crusoe's turf 63. Short for Theodora 64. *Nominated Mark Ruffalo's drama series 67. *Connor Storrie's nominated show, acr.

Solution on B5

August 27, 2026

The Insider

COLUMN

FYI Panguitch by Mack Oetting ~ mackoetting @gmail.com The weather has been wonderful, and the evenings are nice enough to eat out of doors. That is coming to an end, with more rain on the horizon for last weekend. I am writing this on Wednesday the 19th so maybe the weather reporter got it right for once. Even with all of the great rain we had last week, the ATV Rally was a success. They got rides all three days, which is really good and no dust, but plenty of mud. Up next will the Annual Car show on the 4th & 5th of September. On Friday there will be a cruise night, that will start at the

Fair Grounds and end up at Henrie’s Drive-in. There will be music there and some fun things to do. Saturday is when all of the Cars will be on display, at the Little League field. The Lions Club will be having a breakfast, a small one with maybe some really good bacon. The cost will be $5.00 and it is all you can eat. There will a lot of fun things planed for the rest of the year. Trick or trunk night of Halloween, Craft Fair, Veterans Day Dinner, our Thanksgiving dinner at the Senior Center, Christmas in the Country on the first Saturday on Decem-

ber. All three Wards have a Christmas program, that includes dinner. The City gets to have the last event of the year, with a New Year’s Party. So take part in those event, when you can. Columbia had a really bad earthquake and most of the countries, jumped in to help. There over 7,000 killed, so our president slaps them with 12% tariff, on all items except oil. Now he is going to meet with the dictator from North Korea, he said he the only leader of a country that gives him respect. He is mad a South Korea, because like all the others in the world, they didn’t send

him support of his war in Iran. He should have gone to war with North Korea, or Haiti. North Korea has the A Bomb and are working on missiles that will deliver one of them to the west coast. New he has a dumb idea about changing the childhood measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination from one shot back to all three separately. One way to buy gas is to not letting your gas gauge below ½, that way it won’t seem so expensive. The one-day war in Iran, is now in its 115 day with no end in sight. Mack Oetting

PHS Sports Sidelines Wayne Commission by Mack Oetting The Lady Cats vol- Aug. 17: Prairie dog fencing leyball team is really show-

The season has just begun and already the Baseball team is the team to beat. The Cats won both of their games by very large margins and they are 8-0 with none of the games even close. The Cats had a game last Wednesday against Bryce Canyon, and another game on the 21st against Pinnacle and at the end of August 28th, they have another game against Piute

ing the league on how to win, with great defense. First they beat Millard, a 3A team. They took them down with a 3-1 score. Now against Gunnison, it was more of the same. The Bulldogs had some really strong servers, but the Cats seemed to return most of them for points. The Cats beat Gunnison in three games, and the games weren't even that close, the last game was 25-19. The Ladies have two home games, on the 26th they play a tough Piute team, who are always out to beat us. Then on September the 2nd they meet up with Water Canyon and other big school.

at Wayne Wonderland Airport, Sagebrush Academy cooperative homeschool program, funding for R6 Senior Nutrition Program, UDAF predator control agreement, Dump Road Canal Company grant application discussed. Wayne Commission Cont'd from A1

have previously expressed frustration with federal requirements surrounding the project, which is being funded largely through the Federal Aviation Administration. The commission also heard from Nicole Brinkerhoff, who returned to provide more information about Sagebrush Academy, a Utah state-approved private homeschool cooperative now in its fourth year. Brinkerhoff said the program serves children ages 5 to 15 and has grown to 38 children taking 15 classes, with another 13 students in Hanksville. “They have been meeting in my house, but we're growing out of my house,” she said. Sagebrush hopes to use the community center for Little Chefs cooking and young entrepreneur classes that would also be open to other local children. Brinkerhoff said the program works closely with 4-H while offering longer, 18-week courses. Commissioners agreed to continue the fee waiver for six months while addressing liability concerns, then

revisit the arrangement. Wayne County will also receive $16,424 through an agreement with R6 for its Senior Citizen Nutrition Program, including $1,000 for transportation. During discussion of meal deliveries, Commission Chair Blackburn said; “You're not only delivering a meal, but you're actually checking in on them and giving seniors someone to talk to.” In other business, commissioners approved a Utah Department of Agriculture and Food predator control agreement that is expected to cost the county about $2,400 after reimbursement. They also approved a letter supporting the Dump Road Canal Company's grant application to continue water delivery improvements for agricultural producers in the Torrey area. The commission also waived the community center rental fee for a Sept. 22 site visit hosted by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. About 30 people, including state officials and legislators, are expected to attend.

The Insider

August 27, 2026

DWR Changes: The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing some updates to several fishing regulations, elk hunting and a few other rule changes, and is seeking the public’s feedback on the proposals. DWR Changes Cont'd from A1

•

• •

•

ing, bowfishing, liftnets, dipnets, cast nets, seine or spear—for Utah chub, Utah sucker and white sucker in any waterbody in Utah that is open to fishing, except for the Weber River, Utah Lake and Utah Lake tributaries. Updating rules to be consistent for listing burbot and zander as prohibited fish in Utah. Clarifying the time of spearfishing reopening after seasonal spawning closures. Spearfishing will reopen at 6 a.m. on the fourth Saturday in June. Removing the special regulation designation for roundtail chub in McElmo Creek. Reducing the daily fish limit for largemouth bass to zero fish at eight community ponds along the Wasatch Front, in order to improve survival rates at these heavily fished waterbodies. Proposing to change the status of fourteen native fish species to game fish to allow them to be caught and released by anglers, which will help build support for these species. The reclassified species would include Bear Lake sculpin, bluehead sucker, desert sucker, green sucker, flannelmouth sucker, least chub, longnose dace, mottled sculpin, mountain sucker, northern leatherside, Paiute sculpin, southern leatherside, speckled dace, Virgin spinedace and white sturgeon to the list of game fishes with a daily limit. However, the daily limit would be listed as zero fish for all of these species. The roundtail chub daily limit would also be decreased from two fish to zero fish in all locations, due to drought. Removing mountain sucker, longnose dace, speckled dace, mottled sculpin, Paiute sculpin and golden shiner from the list of dead fish that may be used as bait in Utah. Central Utah Allowing spearfishing for common carp, white bass and northern pike in the Provo River Delta, while maintaining the nighttime closure during the June sucker spawning period. Allowing bowfishing for northern pike in Utah Lake. Northeastern Utah Allowing the use of dead yellow perch and perch parts as bait in Brough Reservoir. Increasing the daily limit for bluegill at Pelican Lake to fifty fish (the statewide bluegill limit). Removing the daily limit for black bullhead at Pelican Lake. Implementing a protective slot limit for walleye at Starvation Reservoir. Daily limits and regulations would include: a limit of twenty walleye less than fifteen inches, the immediate release of any walleye from fifteen-twenty inches and a limit of one walleye over twenty inches. Closing Starvation Reservoir to spearfishing for walleye from

April 1 through 6 a.m. on the fourth Saturday in June (making it consistent with other spearfishing closures and to help protect spawning walleye). • Allowing bowfishing for all fish species at Starvation Reservoir, with a seasonal closure from April 1 through 6 a.m. on the fourth Saturday in June. • Reducing the daily limit at all the Lower Stillwater Ponds from four trout to two trout, due to the increased popularity of fishing at this waterbody. Northern Utah • Reducing the daily limit for bluegill at Mantua Reservoir from fifty to fifteen fish. • Adding no limit on walleye (an illegal introduction) at Mantua Reservoir and requiring all walleye caught to be killed. • Implementing a minimum-length limit for walleye caught at Willard Bay Reservoir. Anglers would be able to keep a daily limit of six walleye over eighteen inches and only one walleye over twentyfour inches. • Allowing a bonus daily limit of eight kokanee salmon at Causey and Stateline reservoirs, in addition to the daily limit of four trout. • Increasing the daily limit for tiger muskie caught at Newton Reservoir to one fish over forty inches. • Allowing the use of bait at Hobbs Reservoir only to catch white sturgeon, while using a single hook no smaller than size 4/0. Anglers may not use bait when fishing for trout. Southern Utah • Allowing bowfishing for striped bass at Lake Powell. • Allowing the use of a setline at Lake Powell. • Increasing the daily limit for tiger muskie at Navajo Lake to one fish of any size. • Creating a limit of forty northern pike, with only two over thirty-six inches, at DMAD Reservoir, Gunnison Bend Reservoir, Redmond Lake and the Sevier River in Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sevier, Sanpete, Juab and Millard counties. • Allowing spearfishing and bowfishing for northern pike in Redmond Lake. • Reducing the daily limit of brook trout at Donkey Lake from sixteen trout to eight trout. • Updating the current closure dates to Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 for Beaver Dam Reservoir, Bulberry Lakes, Fish Creek Reservoir, Honeymoon Lake, Long Willow Bottom Reservoir, McGath Lake, Pacer Lake, Pine Creek Reservoir, Round Willow Bottom Reservoir, Scout Lake and Solitaire Lake in Garfield and Wayne counties. (This change will open these eleven Boulder Mountain waterbodies for seven additional weeks of fishing each year.) Fishing rule amendments In addition to the fishing regulation proposals, the DWR is also recommending a few corresponding fishing rule updates, as well as a few new rule changes, including:

• Clarifying that an angler or spearfisher targeting a legal species of game fish, who catches a nuisance prohibited species, is allowed to possess it if they use a legal method of take to capture it and dispose of it properly. • Clarifying that diploid (fertile) grass carp are prohibited, but triploid (sterile) grass carp may be stocked in Utah, in accordance with rule. • Adding golden shiner, burbot and zander to the prohibited fish list. • Adding gizzard and threadfin shad and Utah and white sucker to the controlled list, and clarifying that common carp is the carp species on the controlled list. • Adding mollusks to the definition of “protected aquatic wildlife” in Utah. • Reclassifying white sturgeon and fourteen native fish species as game fish, and updating the rules and definitions for game and nongame fish species. • Clarifying the requirements for bowfishing equipment. • Clarifying that underwater spearfishing may only target species of game fish that have a daily limit of one or more fish. (Game fish species with a daily limit of zero fish may not be targeted or harvested by underwater spearfishers.) • Clarifying the rules and fish species allowed for baitfish. Elk hunting amendments from mid-plan review The DWR recently completed a mid-plan review of the Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan with the elk committee. The review evaluated the current plan, with an emphasis on the changes made in 2022. Several things were evaluated, including hunting opportunity, quality, weapon types, hunter success rates, average ages of harvested bulls, hunter distribution and demand for elk hunting permits. As a result, the DWR is recommending a few changes, including: • More flexibility on weapon splits for the handguns, archery equipment, muzzleloaders, shotguns and straight-walled rifles (HAMSS) units, which will allow biologists to adjust the weapons splits from the standard 50/50 split between the September archery hunt and the November HAMSS hunt. The weapons splits could be altered up to 70/30, with the higher percentage being allocated to the hunt that offers the most opportunity. • Adding the Paunsaugunt unit as an area that can be hunted during the general archery season. • Removing the 15,000-permit cap on general-season any bull permits in order to reduce crowding on the season opening day and on weekends and to reduce artificial demand for these permits, which are meant to provide more big game hunting opportunities. • Re-establishing a multiseason any-bull permit to provide hunters with the opportunity to participate in the generalseason archery, muzzleloader and any legal weapon any-bull hunts. • Removing the

4,500-permit cap on multiseason spike bull permits, due to the cap never being reached. (The overall cap on general-season spike bull permits would remain in place.) “The goal of these proposals is to maintain accessible, low-barrier elk hunting opportunities, while allowing hunters more flexibility to choose the permit that best meets their needs,” DWR Big Game Coordinator Mike Wardle said. If approved, these changes would be implemented during the 2027 hunting season, and the DWR would review the plan again before the end of 2032, which is when the current statewide elk plan expires. Amphibian and reptile collection rule amendments The DWR is also proposing some changes to the rules regarding the collection, importation, transportation and possession of amphibians and reptiles, including: • Updating the definition of a “prohibited species” to allow the DWR to issue a certificate of registration only under special circumstances. (A person who wants to collect and possess a prohibited species with a collection permit would still be required to obtain a variance approval from the Utah Wildlife Board.) • Clarifying the prohibited species rule with updated language about the bite severity of native and non-native venomous reptiles and also adding the families, genera and species of nonnative venomous reptiles that are prohibited. • Clarifying the rule that allows a person to possess a Mojave desert tortoise by submitting an application to the DWR to adopt a captive tortoise from the Utah Desert Tortoise Adoption Program and receiving a certificate of registration upon approval. (Individuals interested in desert tortoise adoption must follow the program guidelines, and they cannot live in Washington County.) • Allowing a gig to be

used as a collection method for the American bullfrog, which is a nonnative, noncontrolled species in Utah. Other rule amendments The DWR is also proposing a few updates to current rules, including: • Updating the natural disaster relief rule to clarify the criteria for when the DWR director can provide permit relief options for impacted hunters if a natural disaster affects a hunting unit. Another proposed change would allow the DWR director to waive the requirement that a permit be surrendered more than thirty days before the hunt in order to qualify for point reinstatement. • Allowing nonresident active-duty military personnel to be eligible for resident pricing on all application fees and for resident rates on hunting or combination licenses. • Clarifications and updates to the rule requirements for hunting and fishing accommodations for people with disabilities. Proposed fee changes The DWR is also proposing a few fee changes, including: • Reducing the spot-andstalk black bear permit from $93 to $50 for residents and from $889 to $480 for nonresidents. • Increasing the sportsman bison permit fee from $454 to $460 to correct a clerical error and to align the permit cost with all other resident bison permit fees. • Adding a flat fee for leases or easements. • Increasing the cost of the aquatic invasive species decal for motorized boats from $20 to $25 for residents and from $25 to $50 for nonresidents in order to adjust for the rising costs of operations and recent reductions in federal funding. Give feedback The public meetings for the recommendations can either be viewed virtually or attended in person. You can view the biologists' presentations before the meetings and share your feedback about them on the DWR website. The presentations

are also available on the DWR YouTube channel, but comments can only be submitted through the forms on the DWR website. The public comment period opened on Aug. 12 for each of the five Regional Advisory Council meetings and for the Utah Wildlife Board meeting. Public comments submitted within the online-comment timeframes listed below will be shared with the RAC and wildlife board members at each respective meeting. Members of the public can choose to either watch the meetings online or attend them in person. If you wish to comment during the meeting, you must attend in person. Online comments will only be accepted until the deadlines listed below. The meetings will be held on the following dates and times (Dates that have already passed have been omitted from this list): • Southern Utah RAC meeting: Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at the R6 County Building at 82 E. 600 North in Richfield. (Online comments must be submitted by Aug. 27 at 11:59 p.m.) • Southeastern Utah RAC meeting: Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. at the John Wesley Powell Museum at 1765 E. Main St. in Green River. (Online comments must be submitted by Aug. 27 at 11:59 p.m.) • Northeastern Utah RAC meeting: Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. at the DWR Vernal office at 318 N. Vernal Ave. (Online comments must be submitted by Aug. 27 at 11:59 p.m.) • Utah Wildlife Board meeting: Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center at 1157 South Waterfowl Way in Farmington. (Online comments must be submitted by Sept. 9 at 11:59 p.m.) —Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

The Insider

August 27, 2026

Out & About for the Summer Photo Gallery: Garfield County Fair Rodeo at Bryce Canyon, Aug. 5 by Mykala Taylor

Mykala Cantrell Taylor | Cantrell’s Candids