The Wayne & Garfield County Insider February 27, 2025
So. Utah Snowpack at 'Concerning Levels,' SW Utah's Worst Snowpack
Since 1980
UTAH - Utah’s snowpack has raised concerns among water managers. The state’s snowpack sits at 93% of normal, with two southern Utah basins recording less than 50% of normal snow water equivalent (SWE). Extreme drought has reappeared in southwestern Utah for the first time since March 2023.
[Insider addition: According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as of Feb. 18, the Southwestern Utah and Escalante-Paria water basins are at 38% and 40% of normal snow water equivalent, respectively. The Upper Sevier and Dirty Devil water basins are at 61% and 82% of normal, respec-
Sego Lily Wellness in Panguitch Offers Individualistic Approach to Alternative Therapies
by Jaynie Connor
In 2024, Durell Darr, LMT, CLT, (above) opened Sego Lily Wellness massage room and retail store. A Las Vegas native, Darr moved to Panguitch in 2013 and has twenty-two years of experience in massage therapy.
PANGUITCH - Since 2024, Center Street in Panguitch has been the home of Sego Lily Wellness, a flourishing small business owned by local resident
that roughly 15,000 to 20,000 eared grebes have died along the Great Salt Lake, primarily due to avian influenza (although only a few carcasses were disease tested).
SALT LAKE CITYThe first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in Utah during this current outbreak was confirmed in April 2022, and now the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has confirmed the virus has been detected in birds in several new counties since November 2024.
The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been ongo-
ing in the U.S. since 2022, but typically spreads more during the spring and fall bird migrations. In Utah, the virus has been confirmed in sixteen counties since 2022, with the virus spreading to three new counties recently: Box Elder, Emery and San Juan.
“We saw a lull in new avian flu cases in wild birds
Durell Darr, LMT, CSL.
Situated on the upper floor of the newly renovated Panguitch Library business building, Sego Lily Wellness offers a diverse
Colorado River Access Temporarily Restricted for River Mile-12 Slough Construction
GLEN CANYON - On March 1, 2025, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area will begin construction to channelize the river mile -12 slough to prevent reproduction of small mouth bass in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam. Construction is planned to start on March 1 and be completed by June with equipment staging in preparation for construction to begin as early as February 26. Access to the river may be temporarily
range of healing services, including therapeutic massage, cranial sacral therapy, lymphatic drainage, body contouring, reflexology, and cupping. In addi-
tion to these services, the wellness center features a fully stocked retail store,
Commission by Kathryn Chamberlain
Feb. 18, 2025
WAYNE CO. - The February 18th Wayne County Commission meeting opened with representatives from the Central Utah Counseling Center. The Chief Financial Officer, Richard Anderson, discussed the financial audit and compliance for the year. The Central Utah Counseling Center receives state funding that requires a 20% county match, which totals $451,000 across all six counties they serve. Wayne County's contribution is $13,367. Anderson said it was a "100% clean audit for the fiscal year, with no compliance issues identified.” He expressed the importance of the new Polaris software that helps the auditors with efficiency and commended the work of Lynette Robinson
KANAB - BLM Utah announces the next Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) meeting will be held on March 19, 2025, in Kanab, with a field tour the following day. This public meeting brings together the fifteen-
person council to discuss various issues related to the management of public lands throughout Utah. The meeting will be held at the Kanab Center, 20 N. 100 E., Kanab, Utah, 84741 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The field tour on March 20 will depart at 8 a.m. from the BLM Kanab Field Office. This tour is open to the public; however, participants will need to RSVP at least one
Courtesy Bureau of Land Management
BLM Utah announces the next Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) meeting will be held on March 19, 2025, in Kanab, with a field tour the following day.
Resource Advisory Council Meets March 2025 in Kanab
Jaynie Connor
Opinion
Spending Your Tax Dollars to Hide Government Secrets
by Eric Peterson | Utah Investigative Journalism Project
The following was written by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah News Dispatch.
UTAH - Utah lawmakers are not only trying to close off your access to records about how the government does (or doesn’t) work—they want you to pay the bill for it.
Two bills are taking direct aim at the public’s right to know, and they are shooting through the session like a bullet.
HB69
At first this bill was focused almost entirely on election and voter records. Then at that last minute, Sen. Calvin Musselman, R-West Haven, snuck in language to make it nearly impossible for someone who sues the government over denied records and wins to recover attorney fees.
In 2019, my nonprofit The Utah Investigative Journalism Project sought records of how a nonprofit was spending millions in taxpayer dollars to lobby for the delisting of the gray wolf. We won at the state records committee but had to take the matter to court. We, thankfully, got pro bono legal counsel that got us the records we were after showing the head of the nonprofit was using the money to pay his younger brother as an employee. But it was a long and costly fight that lasted almost
four years. During that time our attorneys racked up six figures in expenses.
Our small nonprofit would have never been able to afford that legal representation on our own. And those attorneys would not be able to take a case like that in the future if it meant being denied just compensation for exposing government secrets.
But here’s the even scarier part—if this bill passes, any government agency knows they can deny ANY citizen’s request for records, not just journalists, take it to court and know the other side will likely back down because they can’t afford the legal bills.
Worried about how your city, county or the state is spending your tax dollars? Guess what, if you request records, and they don’t want to give them to you, they can use their government attorney—PAID WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS—to take it to court and that will be that.
Keep in mind every government agency has a lawyer or can hire one with taxpayer funds. And some agencies are just chock full of them. Even some agencies that have been riddled with controversy for over a decade *cough Utah At-
torney General’s Office cough.*
The bill says that attorney fees can be recovered if it’s proven that the records denial was done in “bad faith.” But that is a ridiculously high burden to get over. And if you haven’t noticed, lawyers are paid and duty bound to defend their client’s position even if it is in bad faith—especially if it’s in bad faith!
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the best lawyers tend to defend the guiltiest clients. Alan Dershowitz is one of the most successful criminal defense attorneys in the country and has defended high-profile clients like OJ Simpson. He once noted that the oath to tell the “whole truth” only applies to witnesses in court. For lawyers, what matters most is winning.
“The American justice system is built on a foundation of not telling the truth,” Dershowitz said in his book “The Best Defense.”
SB277
Sen. Mike McKell, RSpanish Fork, has a bill that will replace the State Records Committee, an independent body that decides on records disputes, with a single lawyer appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate.
That’s a red flag on its
Letters to the Editor
Your thoughts, opinions, and notes to the community are important
own, but worse is that the bill takes out of state law the “balancing test.”
The “balancing test” says that when the public’s right to know and the government’s right to secrecy are equal, then the public’s right to know wins out and an otherwise protected government record should be made public.
It gets worse. Previously, government lawyers could argue that a public record be made confidential if there was a compelling reason, but they also had to argue against the balancing test. If this bill passed, a judge could hear the government’s argument for secrecy but would not be able to consider the public’s right to know.
Now government lawyers will have more power and more financial incentive to block public records previously considered 100% public under the law.
With these two bills the scales of justice, balancing secrecy against open government, will be slammed down against the public.
Eric Peterson is the Executive Director of The Utah Investigative Journalism Project and a board member of the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Letters to the editor must include the author’s name and location (town). We may edit letters for length, format
and we also reserve the right to refuse material. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not
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.
I enjoyed Adus F. Dorsey’s article in The Insider on February 13th entitled "News from Wayne County: Telephone" and thought I might add additional information about telephones in Wayne County.
When my dad purchased the general store in Torrey in September 1949, there was only one telephone in the entire town. I believe this was true for all the upper county towns. The telephone company was Mountain Bell. The pay telephone was in a telephone booth next to the store. There wasn’t a dial on the telephone. You picked up the phone, and an operator would ask for the number you were calling. Once you gave her the phone number, she would inform you how much you would need to insert into the pay slots to place a three-minute call. If the call went longer than three minutes, the operator would interrupt your call asking for additional money. If you failed to insert the additional amount, the operator would simply disconnect the call.
Incoming calls were a whole different situation. There was an extension to the pay telephone inside the store. You could not make outgoing calls on this phone. You could only answer incoming calls. When you answered the phone from inside the store, an operator would inform you that they had a "person-to-person call for John Doe." You would inform the operator that a messenger would be need-
More Telephones in Wayne County
There was only one telephone in the entire town of Torrey in September 1949, and it was located in a telephone booth next to the general store (pictured above).
ed to inform John Doe of the person-to-person call requiring a messenger fee of a certain amount based on the standard messenger fee of twenty-five cents per mile with a minimum fee of fifty cents. The person making the incoming call was on the line and could hear the entire conversation. The operator would ask the caller if they were willing to pay the messenger fee. If the caller agreed, the operator would authorize the messenger fee and give instructions to have the person receiving the message, ask for a designated operator number in Richfield. When the message was delivered, “John Doe” would return to the telephone booth, ask for the operator by number, and inform the operator of their identity. The operator would then call the party requesting the person-toperson call. This all changed in August 1951 when the
most advanced telephone system available was installed in Wayne County. There were Mountain Bell switching buildings located in Loa and Bicknell. Loa, Fremont, and Lyman were serviced by the Loa building, and Bicknell, Teasdale and Torrey were serviced by the Bicknell building. Hanksville was not included in this upgrade. Anyone could now have a telephone in their home or business. All telephones were on a party line, with four to seven telephones on each line. Each telephone had its own distinctive ring, i.e., one long ring, one long and one short ring, one short and one long ring, etc. When your phone rang, all parties on your line heard the ring and, in fact, could answer the phone even though it was not their ring. Each telephone customer was instructed to respect the other customer’s ring and told failure to do so could result in their telephone service
being cancelled. But any time you used your telephone, you just assumed someone was listening to it, and you never discussed information you wished to keep private. All lines connected to the Bicknell switching station could call each other toll free, as all lines connected to the Loa switching station could call each other toll free. If your line was connected to the Bicknell switching station, and you called someone connected to the Loa switching station, there was a ten cent toll fee added to your monthly bill. This telephone system was still in operation when I left home in 1956. I might also note that the cost of a three-minute call from Torrey to Salt Lake City during this period was three dollars. That would be $34.81 today, adjusting for inflation.
Bill Inglesby, South Jordan, Utah
Tessa Barkan
Jaynie Connor
Trudy Stowe
Kadi Franson
Courtesy Bill Inglesby
News from Wayne County
Fremont
by Adus F. Dorsey
WAYNE CO. - It is
a local mystery if John Charles Fremont ever really set foot in what is now Wayne County, Utah, even though the main water source that flows through every town in Wayne County bears his name.
Although the area was remote, or was heavily explored, there are records that indicate settlers were in the region of what is now Wayne County as early as 1836.
Hugh F. O’Neil wrote in a Southern News and Views article that “In five places along the Green River and Colorado Rivers one can see the inscription, 'D. Julien, 1836,' carved in stone high on the walls of Labyrinth, Stillwater, and Cataract canyons. In two of the places, the day and month are written 'Mai 3' and 'Mai 16.'”
If you were to go looking, you would be hard pressed to learn a whole heck of a lot about D. Julien. What little is known about Denis Julien is that he was a Creole / French - American beaver fur trader and sometimes trapper, and if the stories from the river are true, D. Julien was most likely among the very first white men to draw down a gaze upon what would become Wayne County.
Try as you might, early records do not show Julien’s birth date, but there is indication that he married an Ioway Native American named Catherine, and, together, they baptized three children in the Saint Louis Cathedral.
Sketchy church records show he buried one of his children between 1798 and 1804, and in 1808, the governor of Louisiana Territory, Meriwether Lewis, described him as “an old and much respicted (sic) trader among the Ioways (sic).” Like other French trappers, Denis Julien was more adept at riding in a canoe than on a horse and spent more of his life with a paddle in his hands than reins.
Just as significant, and more so as far as local lore goes, is the fact that during the fall and winter of 1853 - 1854, while searching high and low for a route to the beaches of the Pacific, John Charles Fremont may have set foot in Wayne County.
In Fremont’s party
were twenty men, half of them Native Americans from Delaware. It is written that Fremont and his merry men's troubles began when they attempted to cross the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the winter.
As anyone that has ever attempted a day trip to Denver in the winter knows, snow and mountain terrain can, and will, cause problems. But, as it was, Fremont endured and found the trail of Captain John W. Gunnison and followed it into Utah through Salina Canyon, which in turn led them to the Old Spanish Trail. It was in Salina Canyon that, again, they found themselves mired in deep snow, so they turned south. With no other recourse and with provisions becoming scarce, in order to survive... well, we all know what happened next to the pack animals.
It was at this pivotal moment in time that it is surmised that Fremont entered the valley about two miles north of the present town of Fremont.
It is not known how long Fremont and his men stayed in the area, but it is said that some long since passed residents of Fremont remember seeing the 'John C. Fremont' inscription carved into a large tree near a spring called Jack’s Spring.
Today, the town of Fremont sits stoically at the northern end of Rabbit Valley on land that gently slopes to the south, with
Fish Lake Mountain to the north and Thousand Lake Mountain to the east, both of which rise to heights of more than 11,000 feet.
When Andrew J. Allred, William H. Allred, Wilson M. Allred, and James Stevens arrived in Rabbit Valley on 1 May 1876, they chose to locate on Spring Creek about a mile and a half south of the present town at a place that became known as Allred Point.
In 1884, "Fremont townsite was laid out in twelve blocks taken from the west half of Silas Morrell's quarter section." A recent arrival, Chapman Duncan, evidently, helped to lay out the town. He had arrived in February of that year with his wife, Rosanna; son, Chapman Taylor Duncan, Jr.; and daughter, Rebecca. They came with "two new wagons, four work horses with saddles, and twenty-five head of cattle" and, one imagines, a lot of hope and determination.
As is tradition, Wayne County continues to celebrate its cultural heritage and long history of determinism. Wayne County is a community of doers; when something needs to be done, neighbors and friends step up, get the job done, and then go on their way.
References: The History of Wayne County, John C. Fremont Diaries, Anne Snow Rainbow Views, local stories and recollections
RAC Meeting:
This public meeting brings together the fifteen-person Council to discuss various issues related to the management of public lands throughout Utah. The meeting will be held at the Kanab Center, 20 N. 100 E., Kanab, Utah, 84741 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
RAC Meeting Cont'd from A1
week in advance and provide their own food and transportation.
Agenda items will include updates on special recreation permits and district updates. The full meeting agenda and field tour details will be available on the Utah RAC website at least fourteen days in advance. The public is invited to attend this meeting and
Navajo Nation Department of Fish and
Wildlife
has Joined the North American Non-lead Partnership to Support Hunting and Care for the Landscape and Wildlife
WINDOW ROCK,AZCommitted to protecting the future of hunting and wildlife conservation, the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife (NNDFW) has joined as the 50th partner of the North American Non-lead Partnership. The Peregrine Fund, the Oregon Zoo, and the Institute for Wildlife Studies co-founded the North American Non-Lead Partnership (the Partnership) in 2018 to promote overall ecosystem health and wildlife conservation while protecting our hunting heritage. Members of the Partnership work collaboratively with the community to assist hunters' choice of actions that reduce the potential for lead poisoning in scavengers that feed on the remains of shot animals. The Partnership will continue to work with the community alongside partners including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the NNDFW to build efforts that support hunters in creating a stronger future for hunting and wildlife.
“We are excited to welcome the Navajo Nation to the Partnership and the ongoing work across the southwest in pursuing a sustainable and active future for hunters that allows the continued harvest of valuable food while caring for the entire landscape as part of hunting,” said Chris Parish, President and CEO of The Peregrine Fund and co-founder of the Partnership.
The positive relationship between hunting and wildlife for people across North America relies on finding ways to minimize unintentional impacts on wildlife that feed on the remains of animals that have been shot with lead core ammunition.
The Partnership works together with hunters to build programs that support the voluntary choice of ammunition that reduces the risk to wildlife. The Navajo people (the Diné) may benefit from information on ammunition options and other efforts to support the continuation of hunting and reduction of accidental lead poisoning in wildlife.
“We are encouraged by the support and enthusiasm of other members of the Partnership and look forward to continuing our long-standing collaboration with our state counterparts such as AZGFD,” said Gloria Tom, (retired) Department Manager of the NNDFW.
“Promoting the voluntary use of lead-free ammunition for hunting in the Navajo Nation is an individual action that keeps with Navajo tradition and cultural teachings of respect and commonsense stewardship of our wildlife resources. Joining the Partnership marks a monumental step forward in the conservation of treasured wildlife such as eagles, hawks, Turkey Vultures, and California Condors,” said Brent Powers, Wildlife Manager for the Navajo Natural Heritage Program (Nongame Wildlife Program under
the NNDFW).
The NNDFW has a long history of working directly with Navajo Chapters and communities to care for the land and wildlife. Joining the Partnership and the ongoing regional efforts provides additional opportunities to support the Navajo Nation and build efforts that recognize and continue the beliefs and traditions that build a more sustainable future in cooperation with the community and other partners. Caring for species across the Navajo Nation homelands makes the people and culture more resilient to the many challenges faced by the ecosystem. Working together with the community creates a stronger bond between the active participants on the landscape and actions that support the future of the Navajo Nation and wildlife.
"The NNDFW has a long history of partnering with the AZGFD on wildlife health, conservation opportunities, and areas of mutual interest. We are excited to welcome the NNDFW to the North American Non-lead Partnership and the strong coalition of growing partners," said Clay Crowder, the Assistant Director of AZGFD's Wildlife Management Division. "Having the sovereign Navajo Nation join the Partnership highlights how essential wildlife health is for our collective conservation goals."
—The Peregrine Fund
participate in the public comment portion to address the council at 1 p.m. on March 19. Depending on the number of people wishing to comment, time for individual oral comments may be limited. Written comments may also be submitted to the RAC by emailing Cindy Gallo at cgallo@blm.gov. All comments received will be provided to the council members.
—Bureau of Land Management
Adus F. Dorsey II
It is a local mystery if John Charles Fremont ever really set foot in what is now Wayne County, Utah, even though the main water source that flows through every town in Wayne County bears his name.
Wills, Trusts, and More
Should I Get Married Later in Life?
Having been an estate planning attorney for almost twenty-six years, I have worked with many clients wanting to get married later in life. With proper planning, the experience can be wonderful.
However, it is critical that if you or someone you know is thinking about marriage later in life, that they take proper steps to protect them and their family.
Often, older couples have to cope with adult children who cannot understand why mom or dad wants to remarry. By updating one’s estate plan, many concerns related to the marriage can be minimized.
In second marriages later in life, there is often a desire to allow all or part of the estate of the first spouse to die to be available for the surviving spouse during his or her life. Upon the surviving
by Jeffery J. McKenna
spouse’s death, the estate can then be distributed to children or a family member of the first spouse to die.
The best way to ensure that one’s assets are available for a surviving spouse, but ultimately distributed to one’s children from a prior marriage, is through the use of a trust. The trust can be created within a will (this is called a testamentary trust) or it can be created within a living trust (this is a trust created while one is alive).
Significantly, the trust maker would set forth the terms of the trust according to his or her wishes, and would select the trustee (or trustees) to manage the trust. Upon the death of the trust maker, the trustee would then manage the
trust assets subject to those specified wishes of the trust maker.
For couples in a second marriage, it is often important to sign a marital agreement that states each spouse can dispose of his or her estate as desired. If such a document is not signed, a surviving spouse could legally attempt to “override” the estate plan of the deceased spouse.
Proper estate planning in these circumstances can be a great blessing. It can relieve significant concerns of adult children when a parent remarries later in life, and it can bring peace of mind to the parent, knowing that he or she has succeeded in protecting the financial legacy of the children.
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.
tHe lAuGhiNg
Furniture Salesman
After Frank was made laid off, he and his wife decided to start a furniture business, as they both had an interest in interior design. The business was soon doing quite well, but Frank felt he needed to explore new sources of stock. After some discussion with others in the trade, he decided that a trip to France could be well worth the cost and effort, and although a little worried about the fact that he could not speak French, he was reassured that in the furniture trade, English was the common language.
After arriving in Paris, he visited with some manufacturers and designers and selected some products he thought would sell well back home.
Pleased with the way the trip had gone, he decided that on his last evening in Paris, he would celebrate by visiting a small bar near the hotel.
As he sat enjoying his wine, he noticed that the small place was getting quite crowded, and that the other chair at his table was the only vacant seat in the house.
Before long, a very attractive young Parisian girl came to his table, and asked him something in French, which Frank of course could not understand. So he motioned to the vacant chair as an invitation for her to sit down, which she accepted.
He tried to speak to her in English, but she did not speak his language. After a couple of minutes of trying to communicate with her, he took a napkin and drew a picture of a wine glass and showed it to her. She nodded, so he ordered a glass of wine for her.
After sitting together at the table for a while, he took another napkin, and drew a picture of a plate with food on it, and she nodded. They left the bistro and found a quiet cafe that featured a small group playing romantic music. They ordered dinner, after which he took another napkin and drew a picture of a couple dancing. She nodded, and they got up to dance. They danced until the cafe closed, and the band was packing up.
Back at their table, the young lady took a napkin and drew a picture of a four-poster bed and passed it to Frank.
To this day, Frank is still wondering how she figured out he was in the furniture business.
PUNishment
THEME: Dance Moves
ACROSS
1. Mrs. in Germany
5. *Nae Nae's partner
8. m in F = ma
12. Deadly sin
13. Hindu serpent deity
14. Blood line
15. State location of Miami University
16. Last word on radio
17. Best friend quality
18. *Sideways dance step
20. Buzzing pest
21. "That is" in Latin
22. Corvine bird's sound
23. Omicron or Delta, e.g.
26. Verb derived from "wreath"
30. Although, for short
31. Demijohn
34. Kings of ____ band
35. Act against
37. Bruin legend Bobby ____
38. Southern cuisine pods
39. Cold war initials
40. Transmitted radio signal
42. French vineyard
43. Strong suits
45. Overnight flight
47. Like a dancer in The Royal Ballet company
48. Polynesian island country
50. Dracula's bane
52. *Dancer's gardening tool simulation
56. Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips
57. Eon, alt. sp.
58. Reminiscent of certain hardwood, to sommelier
59. In a tilted position
60. Flower holder
61. Cartoon lightbulb
62. Police informer
63. Before, poetically
64. Koppel and Turner, e.g.
Use cat o'nine tails
German industrial valley
"Heat of the Moment" band
Sir Thomas More's famous book
Actress Viola ____
____ provocateur
Like some necessities
*Michael Jackson's backward move
Maisie Williams on "Game of Thrones"
Immediately, to a doctor
Salt, in Mexico
Nine-day Christian devotion
Aquatic scum
Authoritative proclamation
This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.
Obituaries
Sheldon McEwen
RICHFIELD - Sheldon Rex McEwen, a cherished member of his community and a devoted family man, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2025, in Richfield, Utah, at the age of 87. Born on September 25, 1937, in Panguitch, Utah, Sheldon lived a life characterized by kindness, hard work, and generosity.
Sheldon dedicated his career to mechanics and automotive painting, where his strong work ethic earned him the respect and admiration of many. He also served honorably in the Navy, reflecting his commitment to service and community. His legacy is one of commitment and perseverance, qualities that he instilled in his family and friends throughout his life.
A lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sheldon was active in various organizations, including the Elks Club and the Moose Club, as well as being a member of the United Auto Workers (UAW). These affiliations not only highlight his sociable nature but also his belief in community service and fellowship.
Sheldon is preceded in death by his siblings, Marjorie McEwen Conder, Gloria McEwen Hunt, Gene McEwen, Stanly McEwen, Douglas McEwen, and Robert McEwen; and his son, Landon England Hatch.
He leaves behind his children, Patrick Dean McEwen, Michael Rex McEwen, and Tonya Kay McEwen Beecher, who will carry forward his legacy of kindness and hard work. He is also the proud grandfather to 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
As we remember Sheldon Rex McEwen, we find comfort in the memories he created and in the lives he touched with his unyielding spirit and kindness. His presence will be deeply missed, yet his legacy will continue through the many lives he enriched.
Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 12:00 Noon in the Magleby Mortuary Chapel with a viewing prior to services from 10:30 - 11:30 am. Interment will be in the Richfield City Cemetery with military honors.
Live streaming can be found below Sheldon’s obituary
Is it spring yet? With this weather, I think that we just skipped winter. We aren’t alone. Salt Lake City (SLC) has been bragging about all of their snow, but it looks as though only 11" worth of the good stuff went up on the mountains where it needs to be, and normal snow fall for the SLC area is 38". In our two of months of winter, we have had only 3" so far, but winter still has a month left to go.
The good news is that we are getting two more hours of daylight, one hour in the morning and one hour at night; sunset is at 6:15 instead of 5:15. In two more Sundays, on March 9th, we will switch back to daylight saving time. Some congress members, who are on the dole from the power companies, tried to keep standard time all year long. They always wait till it is dark in the morning to make their pitch about their poor little kids having to go to school in the dark. When standard time goes into effect in early November, and so many people are hit because it is dark at 5:30, they don’t have an argument. March has another good holiday, or it should be; it's St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th. I do love corned beef and cabbage, and they need more holidays in his honor. The Irish are a partying people, and they celebrate everyone’s holidays, even our 4th of July.
We went down to Costco on Saturday, and the whole world was there taking advantage of the warm weather. We were the only ones with warm
FYI PanguItch
by Mack Oetting ~ mackoetting @gmail.com
sweatshirts on, and most everyone was in short pants. I understand that the ice up at the lake is melting, so you will soon have spring fishing. That is when the fish taste their best.
Most of the excitement this week is related to the state championships that are taking place up in Richfield at the college arena. I do know that the girls play on Thursday at 4:00, but you can check with the high school for better schedules. Next week, the spring sports start, and it will be track and girls softball.
Tesla shares continue to fall, and, to make things
worse, they have a recall on 230,000 cars. However, Musk is doing away with the department that does all of the checking on cars, and that should help.
The president is not going to have tariffs on cars coming out of Mexico, but he has put a 15% tariff on steel and aluminum. The trucks are built in the U.S. and assembled in Mexico. So expect the costs to go up anyway. The president's approval rating of 44% is the lowest for any president in history after two months in office, but it is twice what it was when he left office the last time, when it was 22%.
Gas is holding steady
so far this winter, at around $3.00. Costco is the best on gas prices, but Panguitch is about the same as everyone else. Easter is towards the last week in April, which is usually good news for the ski industry. However, with only man made snow, who knows if this will be the case. My daughter is coming home for the week, so that she can take the kids from Bryce Valley to go skiing; it will be good to see her. Our new great grandson will be with her, and he will be welcomed. New blood is always fun to be around.
Mack O.
BLM Seeks Public Comments for Allowing Events at Swasey’s Beach RA
PRICE - The BLM Price Field Office is seeking public comments on allowing special recreation permits for events at the Swasey’s Beach recreation area.
There has been public interest in organized group and commercial events at the Swasey’s Beach recreation area. The BLM proposes to approve and administer up to five events by issuing special recreation permits. These permits allow the BLM to accommodate commercial and organized group recreational uses.
Wednesday, February 18, marked the beginning of a fifteen-day public comment period to provide feedback for the environmental assessment of this action. Substantive comments may be submitted through March
5, 2025, at the BLM National NEPA Register.
Swasey’s Beach and campground draws roughly 25,000 visitors every year, seeking activities such as camping, day use on the beach, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and floating the rapid.
The BLM recognizes the community’s appreciation of Swasey’s Beach leads to both interest in the beach as an event venue and potential sensitivity to those events by members of the public who enjoy its relaxed environment, scenery, and easily accessible riverside beach. Concerns regarding recreation and events have included crowding, illegal parking, congestion of parking lots displacing other recreationists, trash, and noise. The environmental assessment will address these impacts and provide authorization for up to five externally proposed commercial or group events annually. This would include up to two events in the spring (prior to May 15) and up to three events in the fall (after August 15). For more information, please reach out to the Price Field Office at (435) 636-3600.
—Bureau of Land Management
Slough Construction:
Construction is planned to start on March 1 and be completed by June with equipment staging in preparation for construction to begin as early as February 26. Access to the river may be temporarily restricted during the equipment staging period only.
restricted during the equipment staging period only. Further details about delays and other project updates will be shared on the park’s website. The slough modification project was reviewed in the Warmwater Nonnative Fish Management Plan/Environmental Assessment (EA), which was open for public feedback in September 2024. The park reviewed and consid-
ered all comments before finalizing their decision in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI and associated EA have been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate potential issues and impacts to the area’s resources and values. For more information please visit: https:// parkplanning.nps.gov/glcasloughea. —National Park Service
Courtesy National Park Service
Colorado River slough at -12 river mile between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. On March 1, 2025, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area will begin construction to channelize the river mile -12 slough to prevent reproduction of small mouth bass in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam. Slough Construction Cont'd from A1
Schools and Sports
SUU Industry Challenge Lab Announces GAF Zero Waste Ideathon Winners— Next Step, A Multidisciplinary Student Testing Cohort
by Southern Utah University
Josh Meacham and Eric Lewis from GAF stand with winners of the inaugural
Matt Cherry, Thomas Daniels, and Matt Lindsey.
CEDAR CITYSouthern Utah University (SUU) and GAF are proud to announce the winners of the inaugural GAF Zero Waste Ideathon: SUU business major Matt Cherry and retired engineer Matt Lindsay. The winning ideas will now move forward to a testing phase where a multidisciplinary cohort, a group of approximately ten students from SUU and Southwest Tech, will further develop and evaluate these innovative ideas in partnership with GAF scientists and engineers.
Cherry's winning idea involves utilizing shredded foam pieces as filler for use in wall insulation, while Lindsay proposed repurposing roofing waste as filling for impact barrels placed along highways, helping reduce vehicle damage in collisions. GAF employee Thomas Daniels received an honorable mention for his concept of compressing and incinerating roofing waste to generate electricity.
“At GAF, our goal is to make the production process as efficient and sustainable as possible,” said Eric Lewis, GAF project engineer. “Big changes require fresh ideas and new perspectives.”
In addition, GAF presented a special award to Launch High School for Emerging Leaders in Innovation. This recognition highlights the remarkable courage and ingenuity demonstrated by four of the school’s students. Altogether, GAF sponsored $2,500 in Ideathon prize dollars distributed among the three winners: Cherry, Lindsay, and Launch High School.
About the SUU Industry Challenge Lab
The SUU Industry Challenge Lab fosters collaboration between faculty, industry partners, and students to tackle realworld problems with creative solutions. Whether developing new technologies, testing innovative concepts, or refining existing tools, SUU and Southwest Tech students are positioned to bring fresh perspectives to pressing challenges.
“By fostering meaningful engagement oppor-
tunities with industry partners, we’re not just solving immediate problems— we’re building a stronger, more sustainable future,” said Melynda Thorpe, assistant vice president, SUU Office of Workforce and Educational Opportunity.
“This partnership exemplifies how higher education, community, and industry can work together to create real-world solutions that benefit both students and society.”
Testing Cohort to Bring Ideas to Life Building on the success of the Ideathon, SUU, Southwest Tech and GAF are now assembling a student testing cohort to trans-
form the winning ideas into viable solutions. In addition to earning credits that can be applied toward degrees, students will receive a $15-an-hour stipend for their semester-long work on the project with funding provided by Talent Ready Utah. GAF is sponsoring tuition costs for the cohort of up to ten students.
“These projects provide students with hands-on design and testing experience, equipping them with valuable skills for their future careers while addressing real-world problems,” said Scott Munro, chair of the SUU Engineering and Technology Department. “Students will work closely
with a 'customer,' designing solutions that meet specific needs and evaluating their effectiveness. This is what engineering teams do.”
For more information about the SUU Industry Challenge Lab’s GAF Zero Waste project, visit suu. edu/cwd/zerowaste.
The University would like to acknowledge and give special thanks to Ideathon partners for their support and contributions to the ideation and student cohort: GAF General Manager Eric Lewis, GAF Project Engineer Josh Meacham, Southwest Tech Vice President of Academics Scott Leavitt, Talent Ready Utah.
UWLP Publishes Updated Research on the Status of Women in Utah Politics
by Melinda Colton | Julene Reese | Utah State University Extension
UTAH - WalletHub recently ranked Utah as the fourth best state to live in, based on fifty-one key indicators. Although the state scored above average on many metrics, it lags far behind most states in one crucial area: gender equity, which includes the presence of women in elected positions.
To track the progress of Utah women serving in politics, the Utah State University Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) began reporting on the status of women in politics in 2014, with updates in 2017, and yearly since 2021.
“Research shows that when men and women serve together in communities, counties, and states, all residents are better served and more likely to thrive,” said Susan Madsen, UWLP director and Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the USU Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. “This last election cycle represented potential firsts, realized firsts, and included slight improvements in gender representation in some government areas. We also saw slight declines in others.”
The following is a summary of UWLP’s research and policy brief, “The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2025 Update.”
U.S. Congress: 16.7%
of the Utah delegation to Congress is female, compared to 28.4% nationally.
One of Utah’s congressional seats is currently held by a woman—Representative Celeste Maloy, who won re-election.
Statewide Executive Offices: Two of five (40%) Utah Statewide Executive Office seats are now held by women, compared to 31.6% nationally. The two women serving include Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson and State Auditor Tina Cannon, the first female auditor in Utah’s history.
State Legislature: 29.8% of Utah State legislators are women, compared to 34.4% nationally. Utah is ranked 34th in the nation in terms of women serving in the state legislature. Only thirty-one of one hundred and four legislators are women. Five of the eleven leadership positions in the House of Representatives are held by women (two Republicans and three Democrats), and four women (all Democrats) serve in Senate leadership positions.
Counties: 20.5% of Utah county commission and council seats are held by women. Some 62.1% of the elected positions of auditor, clerk, recorder, and treasurer are held by women. County commissions and councils in Utah are overwhelmingly held by men at 75.7%.
Report: Utah Sits Well Above National Average for Adults' Degree Attainment
by Alex Gonzalez | Utah News Connection
UTAH - Utah has made noteworthy progress in increasing the number of working-age adults who hold a degree or credential beyond high school.
Credentials are official documents to verify someone's qualifications or competency in a given skill. According to the Lumina Foundation's latest Stronger Nation report, the Beehive State's attainment rate sits at nearly 62%, well above the national average. But the foundation said there is still work to be done.
Teresa Lubbers, president of the Indiana-based think tank the Sagamore Institute, argued building consensus from the public, private and philanthropic sectors can lead to higher attainment in the future.
"Not all credentials or all degrees are the same," Lubbers pointed out. "I don't think that the salary alone can be the measure because some important jobs don't have the pay we think they should have, but economic mobility is an important way to measure it, and all degrees and credentials should ensure economic mobility and meet workforce needs."
Lubbers emphasized there is a direct correlation between postsecondary education and having a good-paying job. Post-high school attainment has increased seventeen percentage points since 2009 in the United States. It currently sits at nearly 55%. Lumina
Mayors: 22.9% of Utah mayors are women (fifty-eight of two hundred and fifty-three cities), and thirteen mayors of Utah’s larger cities (populations over thirty thousand) are led by women, up from three in 2017. Women mayors lead three out of four of Utah’s largest cities.
City Councils: 31% of council members in Utah municipalities are female. However, there are fifty cities with no elected women on their councils.
Boards of Education: Utah’s board composition is closely aligned with the national average, with women holding 53% of district board seats. Both Davis and Provo City School Districts have all-women boards.
“While we have seen slight progress in some areas of political leadership, there is still plenty of work ahead to improve Utah’s political representation of women,” Madsen said. “Representation is essential, and including the perspectives and leadership of women in our government at all levels will improve our communities and benefit all Utahns.”
Corinne Clarkson, a UWLP research associate, co-authored the research brief with Madsen. To read the full report, go to www.usu.edu.
Foundation recognizes it is progress, but it is not enough to meet their 60% attainment nationwide goal by the end of this year.
Lumina Foundation said the ability to count short-term workforcealigned credentials, such as certificate programs and industry recognized certifications, have contributed to the nation's overall progress in the last ten to fifteen years. They said the credentials help bridge skills gaps and offer opportunities for career advancement.
Lubbers added it is important for Utahns to understand their economic security depends on having valuable credentials.
"We have shifted thinking to a learner-based system of higher education, that is 'future-focused,' workforce aligned, and then we come up with the strategies that will do that," Lubbers outlined. "I'm a big believer in strategic plans for higher education in states."
While raising educational attainment numbers is important, ensuring equal opportunities for all is crucial as well. Despite Black, Hispanic and Native American and Alaska Native adults having seen improvements over the last fifteen years, Lubbers stressed more should be done to ensure they do not continue to lag behind white and Asian adults.
Courtesy Southern Utah University
GAF Zero Waste Ideathon:
Water Conditions:
Our snowpack in southern Utah is at concerning levels and we are seeing increased drought conditions across the state with 77% in moderate to extreme drought conditions. With low precipitation and an underperforming snowpack, we must continue using water wisely to maintain our quality of life.
—Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources
Wayne Commission:
The Central Utah Counseling Center's financial audit and compliance for the year, as well as the growing importance of mental health services and crisis intervention, particularly in rural areas; the Hanksville diversion project; approval of the application for the Community Parks and Recreation Grant; and finalization of the sale of the Civic Center to the town of Loa discussed. Insider
Utah’s snowpack sits at 93% of normal, with two southern Utah basins recording less than 50% of normal snow water equivalent (SWE).
tively. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, despite recent snowfall, Garfield and Wayne counties are both in the "abnormally dry" to "moderate drought" categories, with 19.53% of Garfield County being in the "severe drought" category as of Feb. 11.]
“While we still have some time before our snowpack typically peaks in April, most of our basins are likely to
experience below-average streamflows this spring runoff, ” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said.
According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s February Report, Southwestern Utah has been breaking records for minimal SWE since Jan. 20, meaning that this is the worst snowpack observed in the region since at least 1980.
The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center models how much water
supply is anticipated based on soil moisture and snowpack. The majority of water supply forecasts fall below 70% of average. In southern Utah, those forecasts are closer to 30% of average.
On average, Utah’s reservoir storage is in good condition at 20% above normal levels for this time of year, providing a crucial buffer against below-normal snowpack.
“Our snowpack in southern Utah is at concerning levels, and we are seeing increased drought conditions across the state with 77% in moderate to extreme drought conditions,” Hasenyager said. “With low precipitation and an underperforming snowpack, we must continue using water wisely to maintain our quality of life.”
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. Many indoor watersaving tips are available on the Slow the Flow website.
—Utah Department of Natural Resources | Division of Water Resources
who has been the center’s Controller for thirty-five years. Next, Nathan Strait, CEO of Central Utah Counseling Center, spoke about the growing importance of mental health services and crisis intervention, particularly in rural areas. For example, he said once a month clinicians go to Hanksville to try and meet the need there. It ends up being a full day of counseling sessions. “It is sad looking at the struggles and the challenges the youth are facing there and the stresses the parents have too; we're all facing stress, unfortunately,” said Strait. He said there has to be more funding for the amount of travel they do to reach the kids in rural counties. “We do offer remote counseling sessions, but it is always better face to face, sitting down with someone to establish a rapport and read body language," said Strait. Commissioner Blackburn asked about the status of H.B. 491—a significant legislative bill aimed at enhancing behavioral health services across the state. The bill's primary provisions include the establishment of a new rural behavioral health receiving center, a Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, and a statewide suicide prevention campaign titled "Live On." Strait replied, “We are tracking that bill closely. The biggest concern is funding. We’ve been in contact with Representative Lyson on the bill and offered to help in whatever way that I can, including going up to testify. So any push that you can do as commissioners to push 491, that would be very helpful.”
Next, the commission approved the application for the Community Parks and Recreation Grant. Community advisor Brock Jackson spoke about applying for the grant funding to complete the final ball field, with the recreation board providing input on the priorities and scope of the project. The commission wanted to focus on the infield dirt and other essential elements rather than more expensive features.
Lastly, the commission approved and finalized the sale of the Civic Center to the town of Loa. In other items of business, there is a notice of an expiration of terms for the Teasdale Special Service District trustees. The individuals include Ronnie Hunt, Greg Coleman and Jeff Williams; and their terms of service expire in April 2025. The clerk's office is currently publishing the notice for the upcoming vacancies. Vouchers were approved and signed, and then the commission went into closed session to discuss personnel.
The Wayne County Commission meets the first and third Monday of every month at the Wayne County Courthouse in Loa.
The Hanksville diversion project is moving forward, with the engineering and construction plans being discussed and approved. The project is expected to take four years to complete. Garrick Wilden, from Jones and DeMille Engineering, discussed the cost for the engineering portion, which totals $8,338,855. The Natural Resources Conservation Services will provide the funding. There will be a pre-construction meeting with Gerber Construction, and they want to start this year. The diversion is being built out of roller compacted concrete, and in order to get the mix right, they have to do a lot of testing and preparation. Wilden said, “Many dams are built this way, and once they get it right and start pouring, they can’t stop. So it's a forty day continuous pour, every single day.” The commission then approved the funding for Jackson Excavation to do the water pumping this year during the monsoon season, and they also approved funding for Gerber Construction for their pre-construction work and work moving forward.
Avian Flu: We saw a lull in new avian flu cases in wild birds from January 2024 to November 2024, but since last fall, we have seen another uptick in new cases across Utah.
Avian Flu
Cont'd from A1
from January 2024 to November 2024, but since last fall, we have seen another uptick in new cases across Utah,” DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said.
Since November, twenty-five wild bird carcasses submitted for disease testing have been positive for avian influenza. The birds most impacted by the latest influx of avian flu cases have been geese (both snow and Canada geese), hawks, gulls, owls (both Barn and Greathorned owls) and Eared grebes. DWR biologists have confirmed that roughly 15,000 to 20,000 eared grebes have died along the Great Salt Lake, primarily due to avian influenza (although only a few carcasses were disease tested).
“Roughly four million Eared grebes migrate through the Great Salt Lake each year, so the number that died from avian influenza should not have a significant impact on the overall population,” DWR Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program Manager John Luft said. “The salinity of the Great Salt Lake almost ‘pickles’ the carcasses, so they don’t decompose or get scavenged like they would in a freshwater environment. The birds will likely continue to wash ashore in the coming months.”
As of Feb. 10, 2025, one hundred and twentytwo wild birds, one mountain lion, some skunks and three red foxes in Utah
—Ginger Stout, DWR Veterinarian
have tested positive for avian flu since 2022. The counties currently seeing positive avian flu cases in wild birds since November include:
• Box Elder
• Cache Carbon
• Davis Emery
• Millard
Salt Lake
• San Juan
• Tooele
Weber
Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are very contagious among wild birds and can cause rapid and high mortality in domestic birds, such as chickens, turkeys and domestic ducks. Typically, these viruses only occasionally kill wild birds, but this strain is more pathogenic and has been killing more wild birds.
The most common wild birds impacted by the virus are typically waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors and scavengers (which include birds like hawks, owls, ravens and vultures). There are usually few symptoms in waterfowl and shorebirds, but the virus can kill raptors and scavengers quickly. The virus is spread among birds through nasal and oral discharge, as well as fecal droppings. It can be spread to backyard poultry and domestic birds through contaminated shoes or vehicles. Songbirds are not typically affected by avian flu, so people shouldn’t have to remove their bird feeders unless they also have back-
yard chickens or domestic ducks, which are susceptible to the virus. However, if you have a bird feeder or birdbath, you should clean it regularly.
“The outbreak is still ongoing, so we are still advising anyone who finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds—or any individual dead scavengers or raptors—to report it to the nearest DWR office. Make sure you don’t touch the birds or pick them up,” Stout said. “Report it to us, and we will come collect them for testing. We are continuing to monitor this virus in wild bird populations. This particular strain is affecting more wild birds and is more widespread than the last outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the U.S.”
The last outbreak of avian flu in the U.S. occurred in 2014 - 15, when highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza were detected in wild birds of the Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways. During that outbreak, the virus was only detected in two healthy ducks in Utah. For more information about the current avian flu outbreak in wild birds, visit the DWR website. You can also view all the latest cases of avian flu in wild animals on the DWR website. To report any symptoms of avian flu in domestic birds, contact the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Wayne Commission Cont'd from A1
Legislature Sets Steep Bar to Recoup Court Fees in Records Cases, Moves to Replace Records Committee
by Kyle Dunphey and McKenzie Romero| Utah News Dispatch
UTAH - Utah legislators have passed one bill and are considering another that could make it more difficult and costly to access public records.
A bill restricting the public’s ability to recoup legal costs if they have to fight a public records denial in court has passed the Legislature, while another that would dissolve the state’s volunteer records committee is making its way through.
The House Wednesday morning, Feb. 19, voted 54-18 to give final passage to HB69, saying that in cases where a resident or journalist seeking records under the state’s public records law, known as the Government Records Access and Management Act, or GRAMA, wins in court, they are only able to recover their attorney fees if they are able to prove the government acted in “bad faith” in denying the records, an exceptionally high bar.
Rep. Andrew Stoddard, D-Millcreek, warned ahead of the vote that the restriction on recovering legal fees would price out Utahns seeking government records.
“What we’re doing is going to discourage people from bringing these records requests,” Stoddard said. “These types of things cost a lot of money, and so to require someone to prove bad faith…it’s going to have a chilling effect on people who are looking to bring transparency in the government.”
Sen. Calvin Musselman, R-West Haven, added the fee provision to the bill, originally focused on voter information privacy, ahead of the Senate’s vote, meaning the public was never given an opportunity to weigh in.
Following the House vote, in which four Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the change, House Democrats issued a statement denouncing HB69 as setting “a nearly impossible standard” for Utahns to meet in order to recover their legal fees, even when they’re in the right.
“Over the years, transparency lawsuits have uncovered critical information about government spending, law enforcement actions, and public officials’ conduct. This bill would discourage those efforts, making it easier for important information to remain hidden without opportunity to surface,” the
statement read.
The bill now heads to Gov. Spencer Cox to either sign, veto, or allow it to become law without his signature.
Bill would replace diverse records committee with single governorappointed attorney Lawmakers on Tuesday, Feb. 18, also advanced SB277, a bill that would replace the State Records Committee, the body that decides which government records should be released to the public, and replace it with a paid, governorappointed attorney.
The bill’s sponsor, Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, RSpanish Fork, said the bill will make public records requests more efficient, eliminating the backlog of appeals. Members of the public, including the Utah Media Coalition, worry that it could lead to less transparency in the Beehive State, while consolidating too much power under the governor.
After hearing from twenty-one people during a public comment period —twenty of them speaking against the bill—the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee voted 4-2 to advance the bill. Republican Sens. Daniel Thatcher of West Valley City and Ron Winterton of Roosevelt voted against it.
Opposition to the bill spanned the political spectrum, with representatives from the Eagle Forum to Mormon Women for Ethical Government to the Utah League of Women Voters speaking against it.
SB277 would overhaul an important piece of GRAMA. If journalists, attorneys or members of the public request records permitted under GRAMA, and that request is denied, they can appeal to the State Records Committee.
The committee is made up of the director of the Division of Archives and Records Services, a representative from the Utah League of Cities and Towns, a media representative, a private sector records manager, two representatives from the public, and someone with experience in electronic records.
But, citing a backlog of appeals with the committee, McKell is proposing to eliminate the committee and replace it with an attorney, appointed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who is “knowledgeable regarding state law and practices re-
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
TORREY TOWN
Torrey Town will hold a public hearing to open and close the 2025 Torrey Town budget Thursday, March 13, 2025. The meeting time is 7:00 p.m. at the Torrey Town Office, Bay 1 located at 75 E. 100 N. Torrey, Utah.
The hearing is for the purpose of opening the 2025 budget and accepting comments on the purchase of new software to update and enhance the Torrey Town Website. Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
TORREY TOWN
Torrey Town will hold an additional public hearing to discuss accepting a Short-Term Rental Moratorium Resolution on Thursday, March 13, 2025. The meeting time is 7:15 p.m. at the Torrey Town Office, Bay 1 located at 75 E. 100 N. Torrey, Utah
The hearing is for the purpose of accepting comments on a moratorium proposed to suspend the awarding of short-term rental licenses for 6 months. The council proposes to update and clarify the criteria and process of awarding short term rental licenses. Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6, 2025
lating to records management,” according to the bill.
In 2022, only one case was actually heard within the seventy-three--day deadline set out in the law, said McKell, while the average was one hundred and fifty-six days. “That’s just simply too long,” he said.
McKell also has concerns with the qualifications of the committee, who make legally binding rulings.
“They are tasked with quasi-judicial decisions,” McKell said during Tuesday’s meeting, “not one is required to have a legal background or law degree.”
It will now move to the full Senate for consideration, although some lawmakers who voted “yes” during the committee meeting expressed reservations about the bill, hoping to see some changes as it moves through the Legislature.
“I do worry somewhat about the perception going forward. But I’ve been up here long enough to know how this legislative process works. You keep something moving, you put some pressure on it, and you get some movement,” said Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City. “Hopefully, we can get to a spot where we can feel good about it.”
McKell’s bill has already undergone some changes. It originally included a provision to eliminate what’s called the “balancing test,” where officials determine whether the benefit of releasing a record to the public outweighs the government’s reason for keeping it secret.
That’s helped ease some of the concerns from the Utah Media Coalition, of which Utah News Dispatch is a member. Michael Judd, an attorney representing the coalition, told the committee on Tuesday that the amendment was a significant step forward. But there are still more changes
that need to happen “to try to get this right,” said Judd. “We need to keep working.”
Judd pushed back on the idea that a single attorney is better equipped to make decisions on public records than the current committee.
“I don’t think that the media agrees with that, I don’t think the public agrees with that,” he said.
McKell called the process “broken” on Tuesday. “It’s too slow, it’s too inconsistent, and we just need to do better,” he said.
But members of the public said his approach was flawed.
It would cost taxpayers $447,900 each year to fund two full-time positions under the new system, which critics say could be distributed among the current committee or used to make the process more efficient; McKell’s concerns about the qualifications of members of the current committee could be solved by a policy that requires an attorney to sit on the committee. Critics also said the change would give too much power to the governor, who could fire the director at any time; and that the existing committee, in almost all cases, makes the correct decision regarding records.
“As with all of you, decisions are better made when there’s a committee of people to be able to talk about their thoughts and share their thoughts. That’s always been the case with the (State Records Committee), 98% of the decisions that the (State Records Committee) has made have not been overturned by any court,” said Tom Haraldsen, a journalist who formerly sat on the committee.
This article was originally published on utahnewsdispatch.com on Feb. 19, 2025.
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 Mar. 26, 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
NEW APPLICATION(S)
97-2530 (A84544): Ben and Jeanette Ling propose(s) using 1.25 ac-ft. from groundwater (7.3 miles SE of Escalante) for DOMESTIC; IRRIGATION; STOCKWATERING.
CHANGE APPLICATION(S)
61-3205 (a52697): Power Plant Ranch, LLC, State of Utah Board of Water Resources, West Panguitch Irrigation and Reservoir Company propose(s) using 8 ac-ft. from groundwater (2.5 miles SW of Panguitch) for DOMESTIC; IRRIGATION; STOCKWATERING. Teresa Wilhelmsen, P.E.
State Engineer
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING - ZONING
TOWN OF CANNONVILLE
A meeting will be held Wednesday, March 12, at 6 p.m. in the Town Offices to update and validate the zoning ordinance for the Town of Cannonville. Interested parties are welcome.
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6 & 13, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING - ANNEXATION
TOWN OF CANNONVILLE
A meeting will be held Wednesday, March 19, at 5 p.m. in the Town offices to finalize an annexation request for Peter Jensen.
Interested parties are welcome.
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6 & 13, 2025
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SEVERAL PARCELS OF LAND ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 276 NEAR TICABOO
The Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (“SITLA”) is accepting proposals to lease and/or purchase of up to 2900 acres of Trust Lands in Garfield County, Utah, near Ticaboo/Bullfrog Utah. More information can be found on SITLA’s website at https://trustlands.utah.gov/current-real-estate-rfp/ticaboo-bullfrog-copy/. Because of the parcels’ unique characteristics, proposals should respect the location with quality development plans.
Any individual wishing to submit a proposal for this parcel may do so until 4:00 p.m. MST on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Proposals should be mailed to TRUST LANDS ADMINISTRATION, Attn. Alexa Wilson 102 S. 200 East, Suite 600, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 538-5177, or e- mailed (preferred) to alexawilson@utah. gov. Reference: “Ticaboo-Bullfrog”. The Trust Lands Administration reserves the right to reject any proposal. 2900
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on JANUARY 16, 23 & 30 and FEBRUARY 6, 13, 20 & 27 and MARCH 6 & 13, 2025
NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPOINT TRUSTEE FOR TEASDALE SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that three (3) vacancy exists on the Board of Trustees for the Teasdale Special Service District. Each member of a local district board of trustees shall be; 1) A registered voter at the location of the member's residence; 2) A resident within the boundaries of the District; 3) Owner of land, or an agent or officer of the owner of land that receives services from the District. If interested in serving on this board, please submit resume and cover letter to the Wayne County Clerk's Office by 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 21, 2025. At its regular meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025, the Wayne County Commission will appoint three (3) trustee to the governing board of the District. If you have any questions, contact Greg Coleman at 435-491-9213.
Felicia Snow Wayne County Clerk/Auditor
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 20 & 27, 2025
ACCEPTING BIDS
WAYNE COUNTY LANDFILL
Wayne County Landfill is accepting bids for the removal of portable scales and purchase of the scales. The scales are 2 pieces, 50 feet total in length. There will be a mandatory walk through for all of those interested in bidding on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Wayne County Long Hollow Landfill, 2634 S. Loa Landfill Road, Loa, UT.
Bids are accepted in the Wayne County Clerk’s office daily during regular business hours until 9:30 a.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025. Bids will be opened in the Commission Meeting on March 3, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 20 & 27, 2025
NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following described property will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, payable in lawful money of the United States at the time of the sale, at entrance to the GARFIELD COUNTY COURTHOUSE located at 55 S. Main Street, Panguitch, UT on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 3:30 p.m., for the purpose of foreclosing on a Revolving Credit Deed of Trust originally executed by Frank P. Coleman, a/k/a Frank Coleman and Deann Coleman, as Trustors, and State Bank of Southern Utah as Beneficiary. The Deed of Trust is dated August 3, 2016, and recorded on August 22, 2016, as Entry No. 00269239, in the official records of the Recorder of Garfield County, State of Utah, and includes property more particularly described as follows: Parcel No.: 04-0022-0161, E-161
Legal: ALL OF LOT 3, BLOCK 35, PLAT “A”, ESCALANTE TOWN SURVEY.
A Substitution of Trustee was recorded on November 1, 2024, as Entry No. 00287746, and a Notice of Default was recorded on November 1, 2024, as Entry 00287747, in the official records of the Recorder of Garfield County, State of Utah.
The Substitute Trustee has elected to sell or cause to be sold all rights, title and interest of the Trustor in and to the real property described in the aforementioned Trust Deed in order to satisfy such obligations in favor of the Beneficiary.
Bidders must tender to the Substitute Trustee a deposit of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), at the time of sale and the balance of the purchase price is due by 12:00 p.m. MST on the first business day following the sale. The deposit is non-refundable and retained as damage if balance is not paid within 24 hours of sale. Both the deposit and the balance must be paid to J. David Westwood, Trustee, in the form of a wire transfer, cashier’s check or certified funds. Cash payments, personal checks or trust checks are not accepted.
The Substitute Trustee shall sell the above property at the time of the sale without warranty, express or implied subject to all encumbrances of record. Anyone having questions or desiring information regarding the property to be sold should contact the undersigned. Hours of office operation: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used to collect this debt.
/s/ J. David Westwood
J. David Westwood
WESTWOOD LAW, P.C.
98 W. Harding Ave. Cedar City, UT 84720 (435) 267-2145
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6 & 13, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
TOWN OF CANNONVILLE
A meeting to review recommendations for the SITLA Promise Rock lands will be held Saturday, March 15th, at 2 p.m. in the town offices.
Interested parties are welcome.
Published in The Wayne and Garfield County Insider on FEBRUARY 27 and MARCH 6 & 13, 2025
Sego Lily: Massage can be superficial, or it can be meaningful. I continue to grow and learn and integrate new techniques/therapies to meet people's needs. I listen to their bodies and am guided to do what others may overlook or ignore. There are some amazing developments in this field, but human compassion and love will always be at the heart of it.
Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital
—Durell Darr, LMT, CLT, Sego Lily Wellness
Situated on the upper floor of the newly renovated Panguitch Library business building, Sego Lily Wellness offers a diverse range of healing services, including therapeutic massage, cranial sacral therapy, lymphatic drainage, body contouring, reflexology, and cupping.
providing clients with an array of health and wellness products. Sego Lily Wellness, dedicated to holistic healing, is rapidly emerging as a vital part of the community's commitment to well-being.
A Las Vegas native, Darr initially pursued a pre-med path at Brigham Young University, the College of Southern Nevada, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and graduated from the Nevada School of Massage Therapy in 2003. She worked at the Four Seasons Hotel, eventually going on to become Lead Massage Therapist and Spa Trainer at the Wynn Hotel, and also taught at the College of Southern Nevada. Darr went on to start her own practice specializing in Cranial Sacral Therapy and Somato Emotional Release, helping clients with trauma, learning disabilities, and chronic pain. She also earned a license in Manual Lymph Drainage and became certified in Kinesio Taping.
After completing Functional Nutrition Training, Darr became a mom in 2013 and moved to Utah in search of the small-town lifestyle.
After moving to Panguitch, Darr says that she essentially “retired” in order to focus more on her family, but she saw a need for this type of healing in the community and stepped up to fill it.
“When I opened, I thought I would work a little and slowly build a clientele but didn't realize the need within our community and the surrounding areas,” said Darr.
The sego lily (Calochortus nuttallii) holds a variety of significant meanings, such as sacredness, resilience, survival, hope, and the pioneering spirit. “In a spiritual context, a lily symbolizes purity, rebirth, hope, and spiritual enlightenment; it is associated with the divine presence and the soul's journey towards renewal, which closely represents the work I do,” said Darr when ex-
plaining her reasoning for naming her business Sego Lily Wellness. “We will all experience pain, but we choose whether we will rise and conquer it or succumb and suffer,” said Darr referring to a sign she had in her old office which read, "Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.”
Darr has been running her own massage practice for twenty-two years and has witnessed significant changes in the field of massage therapy. In 2008, she transitioned from the hotel industry to establish her own practice. At that time, some warned her that this type of business was a luxury for the affluent and would likely fail, especially during the recession. However, she persevered and didn't let those doubts deter her. Rather than failing, Darr’s business flourished that year, as doctors and chiropractors began referring their patients and clients to her, leading to an increasing reputation for her practice.
“People were hurting, and they needed this therapy, they needed touch,” said Darr. “The field of massage has definitely evolved and is more trusted now than ever before.”
When determining therapies for her clients, Darr takes an individualistic approach and applies whatever treatment that specific person will benefit from the most. This keeps her work ever-changing and ever-rewarding. “It is never work when you love it with all your heart,” Darr said.
Sego Lily Wellness
also features a holistic retail space offering products for Darr’s clients that complement her therapeutic services.
“Our small town is pretty far removed from access to alternative therapies. I wanted to offer natural solutions for clients who may want to address problems in a non-conventional way,” Darr said.
She keeps a variety of things on hand, including herbal remedies, salves, teas, Bach flower essences, homeopathics, whole food supplements, non-toxic sun care and essential oil remedies that customers can pick up when needed.
“I also wanted to provide a small shop where they could buy gifts for loved ones or for themselves: spa and self-care gifts, puzzles, candles, workout essentials, bracelets, diffusers, handheld therapy devices and unique items for men and women. I use many of these products in services and find my clients enjoy having them on hand for after care,” said Darr.
Darr is eagerly anticipating an exciting year ahead as she embarks on expanding her business. With a spirit full of optimism and determination, she is constantly on the lookout for new clients and opportunities. For Darr, each day presents a chance for growth, and she is committed to nurturing her enterprise and building lasting relationships that will contribute to her success.
“Massage can be superficial, or it can be meaningful,” said Darr. “I con-
Ranked One of the Top 50 Heart Hospitals in America for 2025
ST. GEORGE - Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital has been ranked one of the nation’s top 50 heart hospitals in the nation for 2025, according to a new national study of heart hospitals in America.
The study by Premier, a health care improvement company that has been studying and ranking America’s best cardiovascular hospitals since 1998, uses publicly available data to annually assess performance indicators including patient experience, inpatient mortality and complications, thirty-day mortality and readmissions, and average length of stay and cost per case.
mountain Health hospitals on this list shows our systemwide focus on providing the very best cardiovascular care to patients throughout the communities that we serve,” said Blake Gardner, MD, senior medical director of heart and vascular program at Intermountain Health and interventional cardiologist at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital.
“Having these toprated programs at hospitals across our state means patients don’t have to travel far to get the best heart care possible, including patients in St. George and Southwest Utah.”
tinue to grow and learn and integrate new techniques/ therapies to meet people's needs. I listen to their bodies and am guided to do what others may overlook or ignore. There are some amazing developments in this field, but human compassion and love will always be at the heart of it.”
Since opening last August, over 100 people have come in, and Darr has had nearly 250 appointments. “It has been incredible getting to meet people and help them through difficult times in their lives, whether physical or emotional. I have loved every minute. I want to thank everyone who has shown their love and support. I love serving our beautiful community,” said Darr.
To learn more about Darr’s services, visit segolilywellness.com, or pop in to 75 East Center Street Suite 201B, Panguitch, Utah.
In the 2025 study, Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital ranked fourth in the nation for community hospitals. If hospitals around the country had similar metrics to those that made the Top 50 list—including those at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital—it could mean 14,000 fewer deaths, 28,600 fewer bypass and angioplasty patients suffering complications, and save more than $1.5 billion for inpatient costs, according to the study.
Two other Intermountain Health hospitals were also ranked by Premier as Top 50 hospitals, including Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, which ranked third among hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program, and Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, which ranked first for hospitals without a cardiovascular residency program.
“Having three Inter-
Intermountain Health participates in pioneering heart research and is involved in several innovative clinical programs that improving cardiac health and heart care for patients.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
“Finding new ways to improve heart health is key to better outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Gardner.
“We’re always striving to help our patients by developing new treatments and participating in groundbreaking research to help them live the healthiest lives possible,” said Dr. Gardner. “I’m really proud to see the dedication of our cardiovascular caregivers being recognized on a national level.”
To see Premier’s full list of Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals, go to www. pinc-ai.com.
—Intermountain Healthcare
Jaynie Connor
Sego Lily Cont'd from A1
Calassified ds
HELP WANTED
Maintenance Job Antimony Town
Maintenance job for town to include:
• Maintenance of park to include: spray weeds/dandelions, mow weekly, weed eat edges, clean picnic areas, fertilize lawn; May thru Oct. (6 months/weekly)
• Clean firehouse and restrooms 1 time monthly
• Put up and take down flags on holidays (6 times)
• Put up and take down Christmas lights.
• Repair broken/leaking water lines, as needed.
• Install new water meters, as needed.
• Clean roof and rain gutters at community center to prevent ice dam leaks, 2 times a year.
• Clean driveway at firehouse when it snows.
Maintenance Job Description:
Pay will be $700 a month year round with less work in the winter making up for more work in summer months. Repair water lines and install new meters will be PRN and labor included in this pay plan, unless it is excessive hours. Equipment will be billed additionally. Twice a year, all valves on the water storage tanks throughout town must be exercised.
January
• Take down Christmas lights by 10th
• Put up flags for Martin Luther King Day
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies in furnace , etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Clean firehouse driveway when it snows
February
• Put up flags for Presidents day
• Clean gutters at community center and post office and check roof of community center for ice dams/leaks.
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Clean firehouse driveway when it snows
March
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Clean firehouse driveway when it snows
April
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
May
• Start sprinklers at park and start mowing every week. Fertilize and spray weeds
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Put up flags 3 days before Memorial Day at the cemetery and thru town
June
• Mow lawn and maintain park weekly
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Take down flags after Memorial Day and put back up again by the 14th Flag Day
. Take them down after one day.
July
• Mow lawn and maintain park weekly.
• Clean and prepare tables for 4th and 24th celebrations
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Put up flags for 4th of July by the 2nd. Take flags down by the 6th.
August
• Mow lawn and maintain park weekly
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
September
• Mow lawn and maintain park weekly
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Put up flags for Labor Day and take them down within 2 days after
October
• Clean up park, turn off sprinklers, mow one last time, fall fertilizer
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Inventory supply room behind post office and stock with new supplies as needed.
November
• Clean gutters at community center and post office and check roof of community center for ice dams/leaks.
• Put up flags for Veterans Day on the 11th; take down flags by the 13th. Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Clean firehouse driveway when it snows
December
• Put up Christmas lights by the 1st of month
• Clean firehouse (Vacuum flies out of furnace, etc.) and restrooms - 1 time
• Clean firehouse driveway when it snows
Pay will be $700 per month, year-round. Pay for equipment for the water line and meter installation will be additional. Applications can be obtained from Paige Hoy and then need to be submitted to Paige Hoy before March 31, 2025.
Antimony town PO BOX 120046
Antimony, Utah 84712 435-624-3300
Town Clerk Antimony Town
Antimony Town has a position for town clerk
The person must be a full-time resident of Antimony Town/area, 21 years of age and live within the Town water meter district/zone.
Person cannot be a spouse or immediate family member (parent/child) of Mayor, Town board members, Planning Commission chairman, or Fire Department chief.
Person must be able to read and write clearly, type at least 30 words a minute, be familiar and able to use computers and online information/data. Must be able to meet various deadlines.
A person must be available to go into the office as needed, cordial, customer service oriented, and confidential.
Person will be taking monthly minutes for Town Board and Planning Commission, recording water meter readings, and sending out water bills, pay and collect invoices, complete numerous State and Federal surveys and documents related to Town grants, landfill, water use, Trust lands, etc. Person must have Records/Grama certification or be willing to acquire them within 6 months.
A person will work an average of 10 hr. per week on a salary.
Applications can be obtained from Paige Hoy and then need to be submitted to Paige Hoy before March 31st, 2025. A person will be chosen at the town board meeting by April 3, 2025.
Antimony Town PO BOX 120046 Antimony, Utah 84712 435-624-3300
Wayne Community Health Center Pharmacy Clerk (Full or Part-Time)
Job Title: Pharmacy Clerk (Full-Time or Part-Time) Location: Wayne Community Health Center, Bicknell Utah
Job Summary: Wayne Community Health Center is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Pharmacy Clerk to join our team. This role provides essential support to our pharmacy staff, ensuring efficient operations and excellent customer service. The ideal candidate will be friendly, organized, and committed to helping patients access their medications in a timely manner.
Responsibilities:
• Greet and assist customers at the pharmacy counter.
• Process prescription payments and handle transactions accurately.
• Answer phone calls and direct inquiries to the appropriate staff.
• Assist with inventory management, stocking, and organizing medications and supplies.
• Maintain a clean and organized workspace.
• Follow all pharmacy policies, procedures, and HIPAA regulations.
• Support pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with administrative tasks as needed.
Qualifications:
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Previous experience in a pharmacy, retail, or customer service setting preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle transactions accurately and efficiently.
• Basic computer skills and familiarity with pharmacy software is a plus.
• Ability to work flexible hours, typical hours are Monday- Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM Benefits (for eligible employees):
• Competitive pay based on experience.
• Health and dental insurance options.
• Paid time off and holidays. Retirement plan options.
• Opportunities for growth and advancement within the health center.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to ztaylor@waynechc.org or drop off in person at the pharmacy.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Join Wayne Community Health Center and make a difference in your community!
Pharmacy Tech (Full or Part-Time)
Job Title: Pharmacy Tech (Full-Time or Part-Time)
Location: Wayne Community Health Center, Bicknell Utah
Wayne Community Health Center Pharmacy is currently seeking a Full-Time or Part-Time Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacy Technician Trainee for our Bick-
nell Location. This role entails providing assistance to the Pharmacist in prescription management and facilitating communication with physicians' offices regarding patient medications. The ideal candidate should possess strong communication skills, and must pass a comprehensive background check as well as a drug screening. The selected individual will engage in telephonic and in-person interactions with patients to address customer service matters and respond to inquiries related to medications. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with the PioneerRx pharmacy management system are desirable. We offer competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package. Pharmacy Technician Trainee Responsibilities:
• Undertake duties outlined in the Pharmacy Technician job description
• Acquire and uphold a valid pharmacy technician trainee license
• Successfully complete the pharmacy technician university program
• Pass the pharmacy technician licensing examination
• Pharmacy Technician Job Description:
• Provide exceptional customer service and personal interactions
• Exhibit proper phone etiquette and skillful task prioritization
• Possess knowledge of the 340B Program
• Record and review patient information alongside their prescriptions Manage wholesale orders across multiple accounts, reconcile invoices
• Support daily pharmacy operations in collaboration with the Pharmacist
• Dispense confirmed and completed prescriptions to patients
• Manage incoming calls and address patient inquiries
• Maintain pharmacy cleanliness and adherence to regulations and protocols
• Perform daily deposits and file prescriptions appropriately
• Preferential familiarity with PioneerRx pharmacy management systems
• Manage insurance billing procedures
• Maintain accurate patient profiles, including demographic data, insurance details, and allergies
• Demonstrate basic computer skills
• Compensation
C lassified a ds
We are looking for friendly, hardworking professionals who enjoy the hospitality industry and interaction with guests.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE: 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
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
Assistant Volleyball Coach at Bryce Valley High 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.
MEETINGS
TROPIC AA MEETING Wednesday at 6 PM. Tropic Heritage Center. All meetings are closed discussion.
Escalante AA
Meeting Winter schedule: Tues. & Fri. at 6pm Call 435-676-3653 All meetings are closed discussion
sudoku
Answers for this week
Wayne Community Health Center Dental Assistant at Escalante Dental
Join our team as a motivated Dental Assistant
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 join 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. I 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!
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.
2025-26 School Year Announcement of Position
Elementary Teacher
Wayne School District is accepting applications for the following position.
Elementary Teacher Loa Elementary – Grade to be determined
Candidates need to have a Bachelor’s Degree and Utah Teaching License; or be working toward these credentials. Applicants must also possess a knowledge of the subject matter and appropriate instructional methodologies, good communication skills, and be proficient working as a member of a team.
Candidates seeking an intern position will be considered.
This is a half-time position with pro-rated benefits.
Salary will be based on qualifications and Wayne School District teacher salary schedule.
Interested individuals may fill out a Teacher Application at Wayne School District Office, 79 North 100 West, Bicknell, UT or found online at http://www. waynesd.org/images/pdf/Employment/TeacherApp.pdf
Interested individuals should submit a letter detailing their interest in the position, their qualifications, and their experience. A current Resume, a University Transcript showing all course work, a copy of Applicant’s Teaching License, and two Letters of Recommendation should accompany the application. Applications for any positions may be submitted in person or electronically to randy.shelley@waynesd.org and/or jennifer.batty@waynesd.org
CLOSING DATE: Open until filled Wayne School District is an equal opportunity employer and reserves the right to reject any or all applications.
SENIOR CENTER MENUS
Escalante Senior Citizens Menu
Tues. Mar. 4th Italian Soup, Carrots, Celery, Cabbage, Grilled Cheese, Cottage Cheese Salad, Spring Cake
Wed. Mar. 5th Chicken Sandwich, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, Three-Bean Salad, Salad Bar, Peaches, Ginger Snap Cookie
Thurs. Mar. 6th Pork Enchilada, Green Salad, Corn, Spanish Rice, Tropical Fruit, Rice Krispie Treat
All meals are served with milk or juice. If you would like a meal, please call us by 10:00 am. 826-4317. Suggested donation for seniors over 60 is $4.00, and under 60 is $10.00
