January - February 2023 Issue of ViewOn Magazine

Susan Wakefield, Lynette Hughes, Bonny Harris, Donna Eads, Tracey Sprague, Kaylee Pickering, Michele Randall, Helen Houston, Ashley Centers, Christine Ward, Cliff and Ilene Bandringa, Spencer Hafen, Rob Krieger, Anita DeLelles, Judi Moreo, Matthew Pruitt, Karen L. Monson, Caden Butterfield, Michelle Sundberg, Nathan Hughes, Macrae Heppler, Dan Deceuster, Randi Fuller, Linda Stay, David Thompson, Kerri Lewis, Becky Boyd, Wendy D'Alessandro

Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers,

Every year at this time, people from around the world resolve to do things that will make their lives a little better. Resolutions range from getting back in shape to showing more patience to finally going through that box of odds and ends that has been taking up space in the garage for a decade or two. Or perhaps, it is time to start that long-overdue workout program that you have avoided. Our resolutions can be made or written. There is an inherent need to make everything shiny and bright for the new year ahead.

Whether it be taking time for an adventure or taking a spring class at Southern Utah University or Dixie Tech, as you read through this issue, you will find many ways to spend your time in the coming year. You can also get some great tips on handling your finances or remodeling your home. Learn how to build a raised garden or discover more about an upcoming business called Boxabl. It might be the way you buy your next home, or it may be perfect for a mother-in-law’s quarters. Read about this exciting innovation in home construction. It’s all here, and we hope you enjoy this issue.

My wish is for everyone to just be kind to one another; we never know what a stranger might be going through.

I am so grateful to all those who contribute to this publication—my wonderful staff, our talented writers, and friends that are always there to support us. And where would we be without our amazing advertisers who make ViewOn Magazine possible for all of you to enjoy? Please visit our website at www.ViewOnMagazine.com and follow us on our Facebook page.

From all of us to all of you—we wish you a very Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Kathy Lee Editor in Chief

Frequent

contributors

Anita DeLelles, LMT, is a certified Equine and Small Animal Acupressure Practitioner with accreditation from Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute. Her studies included two consecutive summers in Bath, England, as well as coursework in Colorado and California and a BFA from UNLV.

Anita is certified in small animal massage from the Northwest School of Animal Massage as well as in human massage. In 2014, Anita and husband Ron opened WOOF! Wellness Center and launched their website www.ShopMeoow.com.

Karen L. Monsen is a freelance writer who lives in St. George, Utah. She covers outdoor topics, nature, science, research, and human impacts. She taught French and social studies in public schools, served as a technical training coordinator, and designed and delivered business and technical writing seminars for corporate clients.

Rob Krieger is a 20-plus-year member of the PGA of America and is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He came to the area as the Director of Golf at Conestoga and now owns his own golf instruction business in St. George called Red Rock Golf Instruction, which is based at Southgate Golf Course Driving Range. He has been writing for ViewOn Magazine since 2010. He is also a Utah PGA Player Development Award Winner. For help with your game, please visit www.stgeorgegolflessons.com or email him at rob@sgugolf.com.

Elisa Eames is a freelance writer and bookkeeper. Her love of creative writing began in the fourth grade when she wrote her first story. She has a bachelors degree in Humanities with a French minor and an accounting certificate. Her other loves include writing stories, running/hiking, acting/singing, and laughing. She volunteers in classrooms, tutors missionaries from Columbia in English, and teaches Sunday school. She can be reached at elmeames@gmail.com.

Donna Eads and her husband moved to Mesquite in 2010 from Palm Desert, California, and she loves the small-town atmosphere. Her writing experience extends from high school and college newspapers to professional manuals as a critical care nurse. Her passion for tennis is evident in her frequent articles for ViewOn Magazine.

Linda Faas and her husband arrived in Mesquite in 2004. They love the friends they have made here and love exploring the beauty of the surrounding desert. Linda has immersed herself in community life and volunteers with education nonprofits. She is a reporter and feature writer for local and regional publications and is always seeking new adventures.

Judi Moreo is one of the most recognized personal growth trainers and coaches in the world. She is the author of 11 books, including two international bestsellers, You Are MoreThan Enough and ConquertheBrain Drain. A self-made success, Judi started her first business with $2,000 and a lot of chutzpah. Judi learned to succeed step-by-step over many years and now has a worldwide following of clients who are enjoying outstanding success as a result of her guidance. You can reach Judi at judi@judimoreo.com or (702) 283-4567.

David Cordero is the Communications and Marketing Director for the City of St. George. A southern Utah resident since 2006, David has extensive experience in writing, public relations,

marketing, and public speaking. He has also served in a variety of volunteer capacities over the years, including Utah Honor Flight, American Legion Post 90, religious education, and as a coach for his son's athletic teams. Email him at david.cordero@sgcity.org.

Ashley Centers is the former General Manager of Anytime Fitness Mesquite, and her passion for fitness runs deep. She fell in love with competitive powerlifting as a preteen. She set many state records and national qualifying totals during her lifting career prior to her competitive retirement while attending college. Ashley is now an ISSA Elite Level Trainer, Certified Fitness Nutritionist, and Corrective Exercise Specialist and is training for Strongwoman competitions. She is an inactive board member for the Mesquite Senior Games and is excited to remain a contributor for ViewOn Magazine and to write about her passion for health and fitness!

Helen Houston is the owner of Staging Spaces and Redesign in Mesquite, Nevada. Helen holds certifications as a Drapery and Design Professional, a Certified Color Consultant, and a Real Estate Staging Professional. Helen has been a contributing writer for ViewOn Magazine for the past 13 years. Her creative writing features articles on home fashion, home staging, and home entertaining. Helen is a published author in several national design and trade magazines. She can be reached at Helen@StagingSpaces.biz or (702) 346-0246.

Cliff and Ilene Bandringa are authors and the creators of BackRoadsWest.com. They have been traveling and photographing the world for more than 20 years, with a motto of finding the lesserknown, off-the-beaten-path places and then sharing their experiences with others. They do this via their blog, the virtual tour guides they've written, lots of YouTube videos, magazine articles, and a sister website of highquality and stock images. You can find all of these at www.BackRoadsWest.com.

Nathan Hughes is a financial advisor with Raymond James. A native of Mesquite, Nevada, Nathan is dedicated to managing and preserving wealth for you and your family. By establishing deep and valued relationships with you, he is able to gain a comprehensive understanding of your needs and goals. Nathan works hard to enhance and preserve your investments while assisting you in realizing your goals through long-term financial solutions. Contact Nathan by phone at (208) 277-9239, by email at nathan.hughes@raymondjames.com, or visit the firm’s website at www.CoeurPrivateWealthManagement.com.

Message from the Mayor

One of my go-to New Year’s resolutions is to show more appreciation. It isn’t difficult if you use an intentional approach.

· Say thank you more often.

· Send kind notes.

· Go out of your way to acknowledge someone doing a good job.

Military veterans and their families are among the many who deserve this type of appreciation. They have always held a special place in my heart, which is why I was so thrilled and humbled to help bring the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument to St. George in 2022.

Have you seen it? Located in the heart of downtown St. George at Historic Town Square, this beautiful monument honors the families who have lost loved ones due to their military service.

We held a dedication ceremony for the monument last March. It was a beautiful day. Our hearts were full. There weren’t many dry eyes.

As I looked around, it was easy to note the representation of veterans' service organizations in attendance. Groups such as American Legion Post 90, Utah Dixie Marine Corps League Detachment 1270, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Cottam-Hafen Post 2628—among many others—played an integral role in helping our fundraising committee to build awareness and collect the private funds needed to erect the monument.

These organizations are made up of local veterans who choose to serve beyond their time in uniform. Their continued service benefits not only their fellow veterans but the larger community as well.

The City of St. George facilitates the Veterans Coalition of Southern Utah (VCSU), whose purpose is to connect veterans’ groups with each other. The meetings take place on the third Tuesday of each month (except for July and December) at 1 p.m. at the American Legion Post 90 building (245 North 200 West in St. George).

And if you aren’t a veteran but your organization supports veterans’ causes, you are welcome to become part of the coalition as well. Those interested in more information can contact the VCSU chairman, David Cordero, at (435) 627-4051 or at david.cordero@sgcity.org.

Be a part of the rising tide lifting our community. If you want a New Year’s resolution this year, consider supporting our veterans who continue to serve.

Michele Randall Mayor, City of St. George

Santa Clara Why I Love

Five years ago, my husband, youngest daughter, and I relocated from Cedar City to the home my father built in 2001. Many of the things my parents loved about the area have also become my favorites. The beauty and close proximity of Snow Canyon State Park is a treasure! We now enjoy the tradition of early morning hikes there with our grandchildren as well as the fun adventures found in climbing through the jungle of massive rocks and searching for petroglyphs just a few miles down the road. But it’s the people that really make the difference. It’s a friendly, down-to-earth community with shared old-time values of looking out for neighbors, coming together to support those that have experienced tragedies, and cheering for the success of others. It’s easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger you encounter on a walk. Santa Clara is a place you feel safe and welcomed.

- Lynette Hughes

Why I LoveSt. George

Ilove St. George! It’s our home. My husband and I have loved raising our boys in the wide-open spaces of southern Utah. One of my favorite parts about it is that it’s not hard to find something to do. I also love that you can take life as slowly as you want! The people are amazing and the views are never-ending. We always say we were raised on opposite sides of the country and had to meet in the middle. We love the sunshine and the way it smells when it finally rains! We’ve watched it grow for 15 years and still find new places and people to love.

- Bonny Harris

Photo credit: Gideon Photo

Why We Love Mesquite

When my husband and I moved to Mesquite seven years ago, we did not know anyone here. We were looking for a smaller community after 30 years in Denver. With an emphasis on community and friendship, our retirement here has been wonderful and very fulfilling. We quickly became avid pickleball players with a large social group. I started volunteering almost weekly at the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery, where I am able to sell my paintings.

Our neighborhood has a strong sense of community, too, with several of us being involved in organizing block parties and garage sales as well as assisting others in times of need. I can personally relate to this as my husband had a medical emergency recently and was airlifted to St. George, Utah, for a short hospital stay. The outpouring of support and well wishes from neighbors and friends was amazing. Mesquite will always be our home!

- Susan Wakefield

Switching Your Focus when your plans and abilities change…

by Ashley Centers

As the saying goes, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” This is especially true when changes in our personal situations, schedules, work situations, or even our physical abilities disrupt our fitness goals.

I can speak to this on a very personal level as someone who struggles with seizure activities that inhibit my ability and desire to work out in public spaces. Having the health issues I do, I prefer now to do my workouts privately in a more controlled physical environment, but I do struggle sometimes to continue making some of the physical progress I want to see.

The thing I have had to learn (and learn fast) is that it’s ok to shift my goals to adapt to my new normal. I am someone who is uber competitive and was making awesome strides in hitting my personal fitness goals before the seizure activity started. It has triggered a huge shift in my perspective. What I am learning is that the best thing for my well-being and mental health is to remind myself that focusing on everything I can do is much more productive than focusing on what I can’t do. And when I focus on my fitness goals and less on the superficial things that I was focusing on before, I feel much better, and I am more prepared to tackle tough situations with positivity and grace.

So, speaking about how shifting our focus is vitally important, I know that it’s a new year and that our resolutions are almost always to lose weight or tone up. Goals at this time tend to be driven more by what we see in the mirror than by any deeper motivations. But what if this year, we shifted our perspective and joined the gym or began exercising to find out what our physical limitations are? What if we focused on living as healthier examples for those in our lives? Or we saw what our bodies can really do when we put them to the test?

What if, instead of focusing on anything superficial at all, we simply focus on how it feels to be stronger? Or how much more capable we feel in our daily lives when we know what we’re capable of in the gym or on the trail?

What if we start focusing on the increased energy we have, the mental health strides we make, and the inflammation we reduce? What if we focus on lowering our intake of medications? Or we focus on the hikes we can now do with our families or just the overall increase in the comfort with which we do normal, everyday things?

What if instead of complaining about what we can’t do, we work to find all of the things we can? I can't go to the gym right now, but I can work out at home, bike, walk, run, play basketball or softball, rollerblade, or swim (with supervision).

In choosing to focus on what I am capable of, I’m also choosing to shift my focus away from being vain and superficial so I can focus instead on the way my body handles stress. I also pay attention to how physical strength assists me in my daily life, how everything I do physically makes my life better, and how this increases the overall quality of my life.

This is what we should be working for—wellness of the whole body, the mind, and the spirit. So don’t be afraid to change, even if the changes you are experiencing are big, scary things to face. Choose to allow yourself some grace in reassessing goals that are based on your abilities in the now, and choose to encourage yourself every day.

Choose to say, “I am where I am at this point in my life right now, and all I can do is my best. So there is no reason to beat myself up about the things I can’t control.”

Choose to have positivity, and make the decision to simply give every single workout your best, whether that’s a strength training workout or a walk around the block. Allow yourself some time to adjust to your new normal, and figure out the shift you would like to make in your perspective and goals. While you're giving it your best, remember that your best is always good enough.

Until the next edition, Happy New Year and Happy New You!V Your friend in fitness, Ash

The Help Of Quality People

by Judi Moreo

One of the greatest ways that you can invest in yourself is by surrounding yourself with the right people—winners, supporters, and optimists.

The people you spend a lot of time with can have a major influence on your mood. They impact how you see the world. They can even prejudice how you see yourself and the expectations you hold for both you and others.

If you choose to surround yourself with only positive people, then you are more likely to embrace empowering beliefs. You are more likely to see life as something that is happening for you rather than to you. Positive people make you feel happier; negative people don't. Positive people make you more open-minded; negative people don't.

Think of a highly positive friend and how you feel after spending time with them versus an incredibly negative friend and how you feel after being with them—you know there's a difference, don't you? You know there are friends or family members that you walk away from feeling empowered and uplifted, just as you know there are friends or family members that make you feel drained when you walk away. You groan when their name pops up on your phone screen, whether it's a call or a simple text message.

The people you spend most of your time with—that's the type of person you will eventually become. If you want to reach success, new heights, and more, then you need to surround yourself with inspiring people—people who are positive but who challenge you.

Surrounded By Success

If you want to succeed, then you must endeavor to never be the smartest person in the room. You want to surround yourself with people who stretch you and force you to grow, people you can learn from.

You can join a community of people, many of whom have already achieved your goal, or you can start attending relevant conferences to network with successful people. If you can’t find them in your existing circles, then you simply need to expand those circles and cast a wider net.

When you do, look at how those people respond when faced with conflict. Consider how they network and build relationships with potential associates as well as key contacts. What established habits have contributed to their success? Pay attention, and learn.

Surrounded

by Discomfort

How big (or small) is your comfort zone? If you surround yourself with people who live well within their comfort zone, then you will always live well within your comfort zone. It's the natural order of things.

Ambitious people go to workshops, attend seminars, and constantly seek knowledge because they want to stretch themselves as much as possible. They are prepared to expose themselves to differing views, contrary opinions, and alternative perspectives. They push themselves beyond their comfort zone, and they do it consistently and continually.

If you surround yourself with the best in your industry, the best at what you want to do, then you are going to constantly push yourself to be better than you currently are.

Surrounded By Greatness

If you want to be the smartest person in every room and on every topic, you are strictly limiting yourself. It was the late Jim Rohn, a businessman and author, who said, "You're the average of the five people you spend most of your time with."

There is no better way to sum it up than that. You are an average of five people, so who do you spend most of your time with? Is it people who challenge you? People who push you? People who constantly set the bar higher?

If you want to be a master chess player, then you need to play chess with people who do it better than you. Professional tennis players play against each other in competition and in practice.

Boxers don't only see each other when the bell rings, or in the press conferences that precede events. Great boxers enlist other good boxers to spar with to prepare for the big bout. It doesn't matter whether you want to play better poker, improve your trivia skills, or become a master yogi. Whatever you want to do, you must grow by relying on people that are better than you. It's as simple as that.

Whether you're at work or at play, surround yourself with winners. Surround yourself with people who are better than you.

You will always come across people constantly plagued by drama. You know the type, the people who are in constant turmoil and trap themselves in pity, never moving beyond their current position.

Life is tough. It's hard enough without others trying to drag you down to their level. Once you cut those people out of your life, you will have to constantly set and maintain your boundaries to ensure that more of those people don’t find their way into your circle. It will be a constant battle because as you socialize and network, you will meet more people who will introduce you to yet more people.

You may have a positive interaction with someone upon first meeting, perhaps even multiple meetings. However, when the red flags of toxicity rear their ugly heads, you must be prepared to act.

You can't always win. And, on your path to success, you will run into naysayers, negativity, and obstacles. When you do, there is nothing more satisfying than talking to someone who is ready to listen to your fears and doubts. But that isn't enough. They can't just listen. It's important that they cheer you on and motivate you to do better.

Our friends and family should be cheerleaders (and you should be the same for them). But even cheerleaders have to get tough when the chips are down. Those are the relationships you should focus on—the people who propel and energize you.V

Judi Moreo is one of the most recognized personal growth trainers and coaches in the world. She is the author of 24 books, including two international bestsellers, You Are More Than Enough and Ignite the Spark. As a personal achievement coach, hypnotherapist, and NLP practitioner, Judi will help you discover that you really are More Than Enough to achieve the success you desire. To contact Judi Moreo, email judi@judimoreo.com or call (702) 283-4567.

New Year, New Career

by Dan Deceuster

Happy New Year! When it comes to New Year’s resolutions and setting goals, we often think that we will have a thriving life if we get in better shape, make more friends, or hit the jackpot and get rich.

It’s true that these things can add to a good life, but do you know where a significant amount of happiness actually comes from? You guessed right—your job! Large organizations, like Tivity Health, have gone across the globe conducting surveys about well-being, and the data shows that well-being is directly related to our work lives and that in order to thrive, we need to have a profession we enjoy.

As you set goals for the new year, don’t forget about your career. Our goal at Dixie Technical College is to help you receive industry-driven training that will lead to a fulfilling career and a thriving life.

Below is an overview of the accredited programs we offer. Each occupation is in high demand in southern Utah. We’ve done our best to create time and cost-efficient pathways to get your future on track!

Computer Technologies

The computer industry is fast-growing and full of opportunities. We offer many different ways for students to dive into this field and to be a part of how technology shapes the future. Utilize our high-quality tools and knowledgeable instructors as you prepare for a career in computer technology.

Our accredited programs include App Development, Digital Media Design, Drafting and Design, and Information Technology.

Construction Technologies

A common theme in this industry is loving to work with your hands and having an understanding of problem-solving to troubleshoot a wide range of issues. We work closely with local experts to ensure that our teaching material is relevant and prepares students for careers in the construction technology field.

Our accredited programs include Electrical Residential, Electrical Commercial, Plumbing Residential, Plumbing Commercial, and HVACR Technician.

Healthcare Sciences

Whether they are in a hospital or a lab, there are certain skills, traits, and qualities that all great healthcare professionals possess that make them successful in what they do. We are here to help you turn your passion into a career by giving you the skills needed to succeed in the medical field.

Our accredited programs include Nursing Assisting, Medical Assisting, Practical Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Biotechnology, and Emergency Medical Technician.

Transportation Technologies

Do you have a passion for the transportation industry? Do you enjoy working on cars and trucks or dream of painting your own car? Maybe you want to learn how to repair diesel trucks or even how to drive a semi. What better way than by using top-of-the-line equipment and learning the skills needed to put your career in drive?

Our accredited programs include Automotive Technician, Collision Repair, Diesel Technician, and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

Industrial Programs

Do you enjoy working with your hands and solving problems? How about custom fabrication and metalwork? Learn by using the best equipment available, and with high demand in the field, you can be confident entering these programs.

Our accredited industrial programs include Welding and Precision Machining.

Service Professions

Currently, we offer one program for service professionals in Culinary Arts. Here, you will learn all aspects of high-end cooking and baking, dining, catering, and management. You will also learn what being a chef entails from baking contemporary dishes to deep cleaning kitchens.

What is unique and special about Dixie Technical College is our desire to make these programs incredibly accessible. Depending on the type of program, we offer classes at varying times of the day. We strive to be sensitive to those already working in the industry, parents, and high school students who have other extracurricular and scholastic activities.

Most of our programs can be completed in less than a year. And some programs, like our Nursing Assisting program, have the option of being completed in as little as four weeks! Many of our programs qualify for financial aid, and there are several scholarship opportunities.

Want to learn more? Visit us online, schedule a tour at dixietech.edu, or come by and see us on Tech Ridge in St. George. We’d love to show you around and tell you all about one or all of our 24 accredited programs.

Changing your career can be daunting, but we are here to help you succeed! With our hands-on training and connections to local industries, we can help you build the future you’ve always dreamed of. Happy New Year and Happy New Career!V

The federal tax system is not exactly straightforward. There are myriad deductions and credits, various tax brackets, additional payroll and Medicare surtaxes, and a slew of different categories to help us define our income for tax purposes.

You’d think there’d be only two categories: regular income and investment income. Regular income would be what you get in your paycheck, and investment income would be the money you earn from investments. But even something as seemingly simple as investment income has subcategories, each taxed differently from the next. Let’s break it down.

Nathan Hughes, AAMS ® Financial Advisor with Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New Yourk Stock Exchange/SIPC This article provided by RaymondJames.com

How Different Types of Investment Income Are Taxed

INTEREST INCOME

There are certificates of deposit, high-yield savings accounts (rare these days), and bonds. Interest income becomes part of your regular income and is generally taxed at your marginal rate during the year in which you receive it, even if it’s reinvested. This is what gets reported on your 1099-INT forms.

CAPITAL GAINS

When you sell a security, any positive difference between what you paid and what you earned is called a capital gain. For example, if you bought 1,000 shares at $14 each and sold them for $20,000, you’d have a $6,000 gain that would be subject to taxes. For most people, securities held over a year (long-term capital gains) will either incur a 0%, 15%, or 20% tax. Shortterm capital gains are taxed at your ordinary income tax rate.

DIVIDENDS

Dividend income is derived from equities that pay shareholders dividends on a regular basis. Qualified dividends are treated to the same preferred rates as long-term capital gains.

RETIREMENT INCOME

Withdrawals from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s or annuities and pension income are typically taxable, while withdrawals from Roth IRAs or employer-sponsored plans funded with after-tax contributions are not taxable. But some subcategories are trickier. If you make more than $25,000, or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits will be taxed. Income from an immediate annuity is taxed if the annuity was purchased with money that has never been taxed, say in an IRA. Interest income from municipal

bonds is generally exempt from federal taxes, but it could still be subject to state or local income taxes, alternative minimum tax, or partial taxation of the income in certain instances.

These examples are merely guidelines. It’s important to remember that taxes aren’t the only thing to consider. Your personal tax and financial advisors can help you select appropriate income-generating securities for your needs and determine your exact tax liability.

NEXT STEPS

As you plan for what taxes you’ll pay on your investments, start by:

· Understanding the different types of income.

· Considering your entire investment portfolio.

· Asking your advisor about the tax liability for each of your investments.V

Nathan is licensed and serves clients in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Washington. He is a financial advisor at Coeur Private Wealth Management of Raymond James.

Please feel free to contact him by phone at (208) 277-9239 or by email at nathan.hughes@raymondjames.com, or visit the firm’s website at www.CoeurPrivateWealthManagement.com. He would be happy to connect with you. Raymond James does not provide tax services. Please discuss these matters with the appropriate professional.

A Deliverable House?

by David Thompson

Imagine if houses were built like cars, with one house coming off the assembly line every 60 seconds, or maybe imagine ordering a house online and having it delivered to you anywhere in the world. Wouldn’t that change housing as we know it? Cutting-edge housing manufacturer Boxabl plans to do just that by setting up the largest and most advanced housing factory in the world.

Boxabl is revolutionizing the standard of housing construction and affordability with an innovative,

technology-based solution to mass-produce homes through advanced manufacturing.

Boxabl was founded by Paolo Tiramani, Galiano Tiramani, and Kyle Denman to solve a real problem in the world—the affordable housing crisis.

“I can’t think of a larger market to disrupt or a product with a bigger potential upside. We can change housing on a scale the world has never seen,” says Galiano Tiramani, Boxabl founder.

Boxabl Casitas are completed in the factory and can be transported by trucks, trains, boats, and planes anywhere in the world without additional oversized load costs.

When the Boxabl Casita arrives, it is around 8.5 by 20 feet and unfolds to 20 by 20 feet in a matter of minutes. It is complete right out of the box with a full-sized kitchen, bathroom, living room, and ultra-low utility bills. Simply connect the casita to utilities, and you have yourself a home!

Works to Change Home Ownership as We Know it

Behind a contemporary sliding-glass barn door is a fullsized bathroom with a shower, backlit mirror, and a ton of drawers and cabinets for storage.

Boxabl is a building system that can produce almost any style of home. Different modules stack and connect to build anything. New box sizes will likely be 20 by 30, 20 by 40, and 20 by 60 feet (different modules and floor plans will be announced in the near future).

Some notable

Boxabl achievements include:

• Setting up a 170,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in less than one year

• Raising over $150 million from over 30,000 investors

• Receiving a shout-out from Elon Musk, who called the Las Vegas-based company a “cool product” and has confirmed he owns a Boxabl prototype

• Achieving LEED certification and hurricane wind ratings on all houses

• Forming a strategic partnership and investment plan with the largest home builder in the USA, D.R. Horton

• Filing for over 50 patents due to huge innovations in building technology

• Creating a customer waitlist of over 150,000 people, indicating potential demand worth billions of dollars

• Receiving guidance from Volkswagen Group's Porsche Consulting Inc. for the design and implementation of Boxabl’s new factory

• Being able to ship houses everyday

All new patent-protected technology should enable Boxabl to mass produce the lowest-cost homes the world has ever seen with the highest quality. This includes shipping tech, building materials tech, and all new manufacturing methods. Everything about Boxabl homes has been reimagined.

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Living AREA Includes:

• 19.5 feet by 19.5 feet with a total of 375 square feet

• Nine-foot, six-inch ceilings

• Huge eight-foot doors and windows

• Wide plank composite flooring

• Washer/dryer

• Heating and air conditioning

• Ultra-low utility bills

Insulation technology and the included LED lighting saves you money every day. Consider what this technology can do for so many different groups of people! We can provide homes for our unhoused citizens, seniors, singles, or whoever would rather live in an affordable home and enjoy a neighborhood of other Boxabl homes. Just imagine the possibilities…V

Please visit www.Boxabl.com for more information.

view on DESIGN

by Helen Houston

If there is an interior design trend that has dominated recently, it’s definitely cane. And it’s not hard to understand why. Natural materials, such as rattan, wicker, and cane, create an earthy, light, and airy feeling in a home while still being modern and stylish. Cane has reigned supreme, possibly for its ability to blend in with so many different decor styles and design eras. I’m a sucker for its organic look and, even more importantly, its sustainable nature.

Cane Furniture is Back! But it Never Really Left

What is Cane?

Cane is a tall, perennial grass grown for its flexible and woody stalks. Traditionally, cane strips have been used as a weaving material in handmade baskets and in the production of wicker furniture. Cane has also been historically useful as a material for roofing and boat-making. As a contemporary design material, it is now commonly integrated into furniture in the form of a fine, open mesh that is woven by a machine. This mesh is called "cane webbing," and its myriad uses are on the rise.

How to Design with Cane?

The beauty of cane webbing is that it has woven its way into a huge variety of furniture and home decor items. Perhaps its most recognizable iteration is the cane-backed chair, which originally became popular for its durability and lightness. Nowadays, there is a grand assortment of home goods that make excellent use of cane webbing, including lounge furniture, headboards, partitions, cabinet doors, and storage baskets. Designers love this kind of versatility because the possibilities are endless!

Why Do We Love Cane?

The airy nature of cane mesh and webbing creates a natural texture for interior spaces that makes it the perfect complement for other design elements such as stone and leather. Its inherent earth tones lend a classic warmth to almost any color palette, and it works particularly well with neutral schemes or gold and black accents. Cane is also a favorite trend because it appeals to the environmentally friendly, serving as a design staple that is both sustainable and recyclable.

Cane RATTAN WICKER

The Difference Between Cane, Rattan, and Wicker

Natural materials like cane, rattan, and wicker have been recently named one of the hottest design trends by magazines like Elle Decor, Dwell, and House Beautiful, to name a few. It's not hard to understand why, as they create an earthy and light feeling while still being super modern and stylish. With our growing environmental consciousness, we want to incorporate more natural elements into our homes. But what is the difference between cane, rattan, and wicker?

Both rattan and cane are derived from the rattan plant. Rattan is a natural vine that grows in Southeast Asia. Cane is the thinner material that results from the process of stripping the rattan plant.

Wicker can be made out of rattan, but could also be made from bamboo, reed, willow, or even synthetic fibers. It can be made from any natural or man-made material that is durable enough to be woven. Wicker refers to the method, rather than the material.

Features and Applications

The rattan core is steamed and sliced to make different shapes for the furniture. Rattan is most commonly treated and painted, while the cane is left in its natural round state. In terms of strength, the cane is generally more durable than rattan, which is why it's often used for binding purposes. Cane is traditionally woven into different webbed patterns. The rule of thumb is that pieces that feature thin, woven accents, like on the back of a chair or on a cabinet door, are considered cane.

Wicker furniture is made from weaving slender branches around wooden or metal frames to produce chairs, tables, sofas, etc. Wicker comes in a broad range of styles and weaves and also comes in many colors along with more natural or white finishes. It's recommended to use wicker

made of synthetic material, like resin or vinyl, if you have outdoor furniture to withstand rain, sun, and humidity.

The Benefits of Using Cane, Rattan, and Wicker

In addition to being stunning, there are several other reasons to opt for furniture made out of cane, rattan, or wicker. Not only is it a neutral, but it brings a certain warmth to any space in which it finds itself. The main reason why furniture trends keep veering back to cane is that simply put, there is a certain quality of “naturalness” to it that feels important in our increasingly digitized, man-made world.

Keep it Looking Good for Longer

When not properly cared for, natural woven furniture can dry out and crack over time. The number one tip for keeping cane and other natural materials looking good is to keep them clean and free from dust and grime. You can usually get away with just using a dampened cloth to dust your piece off, but if it's dirty, you can use a wood soap or a mild detergent in warm water to clean it. Make sure not to use too much water, and dry it properly to prevent it from sagging. To work some moisture into the surface, you can give your furniture a monthly spritz with an oil or glycerinbased soap that's been diluted with water. Using a spray bottle, spritz the chair or couch's back and underside before wiping clean with a rag. (Don't spray the top side, lest you get an oily imprint on the seat, and let the chairs fully dry before adding back any cushions.)

Woven textures are as classic as it gets, so it should come as no surprise that cane furniture has remained so popular. Cane, in particular, has reigned supreme, possibly for its ability to blend in with so many different decor tastes and design periods. Much like many other cyclical trends, cane has maintained its appeal by adapting to the times.V

Helen Houston is the owner of Staging Spaces & Redesign. She can be reached by phone at (702) 346-0246 or by email at helen@stagingspaces.biz.

Photo credits: www.JossAndMain.com

New Branch to Open in Mesquite

by Spencer Hafen

Nevada Bank and Trust was started by a small group of business owners who had a vision of providing financial services to the citizens of rural Nevada. Their initial dream has been realized over the last 44 years with branches in Caliente, Elko, Ely, and Mesquite. With the growth and commitment to provide outstanding community banking, Nevada Bank and Trust is excited to offer the community of Mesquite a new banking experience with the opening of a new facility located at the corner of Mesquite and Sandhill Boulevards. We are excited to bring this new facility to the Downtown Redevelopment Zone of the City of Mesquite. We look forward to helping the community in redeveloping the downtown area as well as continuing to provide community banking services to citizens throughout rural Nevada. Community banking: it's who we are, it's what we do—Nevada Bank and Trust.V

Watch for additional information on our grand opening and our moving date on our website, www.NevadaBankAndTrust.com, and follow us on Facebook for updates on our building project.

90-Year-Old Survivor Offers Hope

by Judi Moreo

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States with 45,979 deaths in 2020. This is about one death every eleven minutes. The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. One 90-year-old Mesquite woman is making a bold attempt to do something about this.

Dr. Joyce Hunt Brown has had an interesting and challenging life. From overcoming depression and grief and completely conquering ALS to surviving multiple tragic car accidents and enduring eight failed back surgeries (which left her disabled and needing to use a power chair), Dr. Joyce Brown has been through it all.

Her own personal struggle with suicide began shortly after attending a man’s funeral with her mother when she was only eight. Given her own unhappy childhood, when she learned about Heaven and the wonderful eternal peace described by the man’s friends and family in their eulogies, it all sounded like something for which she was no longer willing to wait.

Like countless others before, she bought into the false belief that there was a shortcut to eternal peace of mind.

Dr. Joyce continued to struggle with suicidal thoughts well into her adult life. Tragically, the experience of her father’s suicide continued to reinforce her belief that taking her life was the answer to all of her problems. At last, when she was only forty-nine, after years of suffering—including the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, repeated pneumonia, and numerous surgeries—she was on her deathbed.

Suddenly, the great turning point of her life arrived. A twoyear period of being bedridden and deathly ill culminated in a profound near-death experience. This was the transforming incident where she went from desperately wanting to die to desperately wanting to live and help others live.

After a miraculous recovery, Dr. Joyce soon began working to prevent suicide and to help those struggling with grief. Across

the nation and around the world, Dr. Joyce has been working tirelessly as a chaplain since 1983, answering calls and saving and transforming lives in the process. She has brought innumerable people back from the brink of suicide. To continue this work—which has included thousands of hours of crisis calls, numerous speaking engagements, and reaching tens of thousands of people through the books she has sold or donated—Dr. Joyce founded Stress and Grief Relief, Inc. in 1999, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and public charity.

While making frequent guest appearances on television shows, such as The Hope Doctor, today, Dr. Joyce is also the host and producer of The Hope Doctor Show podcast. She shares the gifts she received from her astounding near-death experience as well as a divine message offering proof of God’s unconditional love and the eternal wisdom that radically transformed and gave new meaning and purpose to her life. This wisdom includes the unique methods and proven techniques she used to reverse ALS, conquer depression and suicide, and overcome anxiety, agoraphobia, and grief. These techniques have helped bring her to where she is now. She is a thriving go-getter who is eagerly chasing after her dream of helping others conquer traumatic stress, depression, suicide, and grief with a special focus on law enforcement, veterans, and troubled youth.

Now, almost 90 years old and still living with myasthenia gravis (MG, a form of muscular dystrophy) and vision problems, Dr. Joyce is also a 33-year survivor of ALS, and she continues to live a vibrant, vigorous, and joyful life. Known today as “The Therapist’s Therapist,” Dr. Joyce is recognized as a diplomate of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress®. While in practice as a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Joyce received six Lifetime Achievement Awards in the natural health field. She is the author of the bestselling book, God’s Heavenly Answers: Near-Death Experience Revealed, and the newly released Near Death Survivor Conquers ALS, Blindness, Depression, Grief, Suicide and More—A Book of Hope

Other books include What to Do Before and After the Doctor Says, "Nothing More Can Be Done", and The Secret Life of a Little Service Dog Named Kitty, and Proof She Went to Heaven. Some of her programs include The Power of Positive Belief: Change Your Self-Talk, Change Your Life as well as Suicide: Causes, Cures, and Grief Relief for Loved Ones and Survivors.V

Her websites are www.HopeDr.org and www.StressAndGriefRelief.org.

Raptor Ranch

RV Park & Campground

by Christine Ward

Raptor Ranch is an RV park/campground located just 24 miles from the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim in the small town of Valle, Arizona. But this is NOT just any RV park/ campground, it’s an adventure waiting for you to visit.

Before the current owners bought the property in 2019 and opened Raptor Ranch, this was Bedrock City. Bedrock City was built by Francis Jerome Speckels and opened in 1972. It was basically a Flintstone’s theme park,

After the new owners purchased the property, they had planned to remove all of the Bedrock City attractions, and the new business would feature an RV park/campground/ restaurant and birds of prey demonstrations. However, they received a lot of encouragement via social media and visitors to the property to retain the Bedrock City attractions.

complete with replicas of the buildings and vehicles from the historic TV show.

Some of the benefits of utilizing HYDRO/AQUAPONIC systems are:

• Requires much less space than plants grown in soil

• No soil required, making it ideal for people who have less land available

• Saves water, faster growth rate, and no weeds!

Today, Raptor Ranch offers many other activities and attractions and is growing all the time. One of the newer additions is the Hydroponic/Aquaponic Garden Area.

Simply put, Hydroponics/Aquaponics is the process of growing plants without soil.

Many of the vegetables grown in this area will be used in the preparation of the food served at Raptor Ranch, including a signature salad using microgreens. Microgreens are most often added to salads, soups, sandwiches, stir fry, or homemade juice mixes.

The Hydroponics/Aquaponics Garden is also used as an educational program, teaching students and others how to grow their own food even if they have limited space. Starter kits and plants will be available for purchase at the Raptor Ranch.

As is evident by their name, Raptor Ranch also provides flight demonstrations, birds of prey encounters, and educational excursions featuring the birds of prey who live at the ranch.

Daily flight demonstrations are a hugely popular attraction at Raptor Ranch. There is no better way to appreciate these amazing birds than to witness them in flight. Watch our raptors dive after our mechanical lures and demonstrate their natural hunting behaviors.

The falconers at Raptor Ranch have decades of experience and love to share these amazing creatures with their visitors. Raptor Ranch is home to a variety of raptors or birds of prey, including the majority of North American raptors as well as a number of owls. Get a close-up look at these majestic birds.

Fledgling Falcons Educational Excursion is bird watching in the extreme. Each spring a number of our young raptors bred at the Grand Canyon Arizona Raptor Ranch will be temporarily released from remote sites. These birds of prey come to recognize what is called a hacking tower as their nest site and return to the site to rest and feed. You will have an opportunity to see young falcons interact with their siblings, play, frolic, and chase each other as they hone their natural flight skills. Hacking is a traditional technique used by falconers whereby young falcons, approximately four weeks old, are released in a semiwild state in order to improve their flying and hunting skills before being trained in falconry.

Hacking improves mental conditioning as falcons receive a greater number of stimuli and experiences when at hack. However, there are many problems that prevent most raptor breeders from hacking their birds. Human habitation, the loss of some of the young, and lack of open ground makes hacking in many locations impractical. Raptor Ranch Arizona is one of the very few breeding projects that hacks young falcons.

Lodging is available at Raptor Ranch. Spend the night or several nights close to the Grand Canyon National Park, but away from the crowds. Bring your own RV, stay in an RV located at Raptor Ranch, or pitch a tent, and enjoy amazing night skies, restaurants, showers/restrooms, and all of the attractions and exhibits located here.

Other attractions and exhibits at Raptor Ranch include a small animal experience, dinosaur exhibit, Bedrock City and a new group event area. The new group area has been created to accommodate large and small groups who wish to participate in a variety of activities with an experienced guide to take them through the exhibits and attractions. Group events include a dutch oven meal experience, bird encounter, The Hydroponic/Aquaponic Garden, fun interactive games, and more.

Group events are perfect for youth groups, church groups, clubs, family reunions, or anyone who wants to spend some time relaxing just 24 miles from the Grand Canyon. Raptor Ranch can arrange a custom package to include lodging, food, attractions, tours of the Grand Canyon, and more.V

For more information, please visit www.Raptor-Ranch.com.

by Judi Moreo

Feeling empty is often a product of missing something that you need. When you experience emptiness, it often follows an event where you lost something or someone that was very important to you. Sometimes, feeling empty happens when you realize you need something more or different in your life in order to feel complete again.

Regardless of what your missing needs are, understanding them so you can successfully meet them is important for healing your inner emptiness.

What can cause a person to feel like they’re missing some major things that they need?

There are a few common reasons why a person may feel like they’re missing major things that they need in their life.

#1 You experienced a major loss of an important person in your life.

Sometimes this refers to death; when a loved one passes away, their physical presence in your life can feel impossible to ever replace, and this is understandable—the lost loved one was unique and played an important role in your normal daily life.

Besides experiencing a loved one’s death, you can also experience a major loss when your relationship with someone changes. Examples are the ending of a romantic relationship, familial relationship, or friendship.

When these types of relationships end or change drastically, it can feel as challenging as a death —the space they occupied in your life can leave a void when they’re missing from it.

#2 You aren’t feeling stimulated or challenged enough at work or school.

Perhaps you find yourself second-guessing your pathway at school or wishing you’d chosen a different field of study. After years in the same career, you may feel bored or wonder why you even chose to enter this field in the first place.

When you begin to experience a lack of challenges or stimulation from what drives your academic or professional goals, it can feel like you’re missing important things in your life. People often tie their careers and education to their passions, and when those passions are missing from your life, you can feel quite empty.

#3 you can’t get a grasp on your daily schedule or a good routine.

Sometimes life can feel so noisy, busy, and chaotic that it’s difficult to really enjoy it or find the meaning in it. This can cause a need for stability and purpose, and without fulfilling that need, you can feel very empty.

Even if you’re living a “full life” by definition—you’re busy at work, busy with friends, busy with responsibilities, busy with family—you struggle to feel like you really have a good schedule that supports the feeling that your life has true meaning. Feeling like you’re merely shuffling between obligations and responsibilities can be quite unfulfilling.

#4 Feeling like you aren’t on the path to reaching your highest potential.

Realizing that you aren’t working toward becoming your best self can be an empty experience. You may feel like you’re totally hollow inside when you realize you aren’t meeting your need of becoming successful and selfactualized.

You may experience this feeling if you realize that you’re on the wrong pathway in life, especially if that pathway formerly felt correct to you. Realizing that something you once thought to be a good choice is no longer your best option can leave you feeling empty.

If you think you have some needs that are going unmet, what can be done to help meet them and feel less empty inside?

Consider the following strategies to satisfy unmet needs in your life:

#1 Begin your process by pinpointing exactly what’s causing you to experience feelings of emptiness.

This may seem obvious, but sometimes finding the root causes behind why you’re experiencing feelings of emptiness can be quite challenging. Feeling empty is a complex experience that may be totally devoid of specific emotion—when it feels like there’s literally something missing from your life, trying to determine what that unknown piece is can feel a lot like detective work.

Practice some careful self-reflection, or reach out to a friend to discuss how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking so that you can dig down into what’s really sparking your feelings of emptiness.

#2 Think of your emptiness like hunger.

When hungry, you may ask yourself a series of questions, such as:

• What nutrients does my body need right now?

• What would taste good to me right now?

• What would make me feel satisfied right now?

By answering these questions, you can determine the specific food you’d like to eat to satisfy your hunger. Determining how to fill your inner emptiness works similarly. When determining what would help fill your emptiness, ask yourself versions of those same hunger questions:

• What do my spirit and soul need right now?

• What would be appealing to ease my emptiness right now?

• What would make my inner self feel satisfied right now?

Think of experiencing emptiness like hunger—your soul is hungry for some missing aspect in your life, and determining how to fill the emptiness is like deciding what foods you want when you’re physically hungry.

#3 Take baby steps to fill your emptiness.

When you’re feeling empty, that emptiness can be quite the chasm. It’s very likely that you won’t completely resolve your feelings of emptiness overnight.

Rather than attempting to change your complete mood and mindset in one big overture, give yourself time to take baby steps toward filling that big, empty feeling inside yourself. Your emptiness likely didn’t grow that large overnight, and it’ll also take a while to feel better again, too.

For example, think to yourself: What is one small thing I could do to make myself feel a little better or to make things easier right now? Taking small actions like these can feel insignificant at first, but these small actions add up quickly—over time, you’ll notice yourself defaulting to making emptiness-filling choices and building stronger habits that lead to consistent change rather than quick fixes that fade away.V

Judi Moreo is the Ultimate Achievement Coach. In addition, she is an author, an artist, a hypnotherapist, an NLP practitioner, and the television show host of What’s Your Story? on the WWDB-TV Network on Roku.

If you would like to contact Judi, you can do so at judi@judimoreo.com.

This Year is Yours...

What will you do with it?

THE CAIRN WOMEN'S CONFERENCE CELEBRATES THEIR THIRD YEAR STRENGTHENING WOMEN

by Kerri Lewis

It begins with a choice—a choice to get up, step out, and live fully. It takes vulnerability and courage. It requires strength and resilience. And there needs to be a connection for encouragement and support.

We recognize the obstacles women face—the silent battles that you fight, the hard decisions you must make every day, the challenges you experience, and the freedom you desire.

As a woman, what you do, what you say, and who you are all matter. The Cairn Women’s Organization exists to honor and support you—indeed all human beings—and we’re taking steps to cultivate a deeper, more meaningful connection with you.

CELEBRATING TOGETHER

March 18, 2023, marks the Cairn’s third year of serving women who are searching for connections, purpose, support, and freedom. The theme of their upcoming conference is “Strengthen Your Foundation: Become a Better Version of Yourself Using Proven Techniques for Personal Growth.”

We’re proud to introduce Mindy Benson as our 2023 keynote speaker. Mindy is the newly appointed president of Southern Utah University (SUU), and she has a unique perspective. She began working in Student Affairs, then moved from Alumni to Administration, and finally, became interim president.

We encourage your participation in this gathering so that you may learn, expand, discover new purpose, be more fulfilled, and live the life you desire.

If You Believe..…

• Women who live purposeful lives bring greater benefit to others...

• We learn from one another when we join and collaborate...

• We become inspired when we raise each other up and recognize all human beings have a contribution...

• Teaching, learning, sharing, and loving causes growth and advancement so that you are more capable of touching the lives of others...

…then we want to see you at this year’s conference!

THE MEANING OF THE CAIRN

A cairn is a mound of stacked rocks built and placed along a trail or pathway to help guide others along the path. Each rock in the stack can signify an intention of kindness, compassion, or an offering to another in need. Cairns are balanced, artistic, unique, directional, and intentional—a gift to and from friends and strangers.

The cairn was chosen to symbolize our purpose and mission, which is to identify our diverse and unique community and inspire and encourage women.

The Cairn members and volunteers are rocks in the stack—each with the desire to serve and support other women along their paths.

THE PURPOSE AND PROMISE

The Cairn Women’s Organization is committed to goodwill, compassion, integrity, knowledge, and caring. Our growth depends on the contributions of a sharing community of women and men who give their time, energy, and money to support our efforts. We are deeply appreciative and grateful to all those who continue to support our non-profit. Each donation helps keep our ticket prices affordable and enables us to offer tickets to those whose budget may not otherwise allow participation in the conference.

It's important to note that while the aim of this group is to benefit and serve women, we welcome all who support and honor women.

CONFERENCE TOPICS AND PANELS

A few of the topics include:

Entrepreneurship

Financial Freedom

Financial and Estate Planning

Mid-life Panel

How to Find Healing and Peace After Loss

Creative Aging

Competition in Business

OUR SPEAKERS

Heather Young

Cindy Wallace

Lynette Kelly

Becca Kearl

Corey Baumgartner

COME JOIN US

When: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2023

Where: The Heritage Center • Cedar City, Utah Tickets: $35 (early-bird price available)

We hope you’ll join us for this dynamic event—and bring friends! We’re eager to meet you! Visit our website at www. thecairnwomensconference.org.V

Welcome the New Year with a Comprehensive Asset Protection Plan

by Matthew Pruitt

By all accounts, it appears we’re in for a shaky 2023 when it comes to financial security. A predicted recession, continued inflation, and a tightening job market could cause hardship for many. But the good news is there are things you can do to secure your own assets and protect yourself from potentially tumultuous days to come.

Whether or not you think your assets are at risk, trouble could be just a day away. Risk comes from everyday obligations and

occurrences, such as credit card debt, medical debt, business disputes, tenant lawsuits, a car accident, or your dog biting a neighbor. Thankfully, there are ways to mitigate your risks.

Get

Insured Insurance can provide asset protection and peace of mind. Look into getting insurance for all business ventures, real estate, and risky activities you participate in.

Partition Your Risk

However, you cannot rely completely on insurance to insulate you from risk. Too often, claims may exceed policy limits, or insurance companies evade paying claims through various exclusions in the policy. If someone brings a claim against you that is more than your insurance policy allows, you will be responsible for the remaining amount above your limits.

Whether your risk comes from business ventures, investment properties, vehicles, or vacation homes, you can partition those risks by compartmentalizing each into separate entities. Keeping your assets in separate entities helps to shield all other assets from claims arising from one asset.

For example, if there is a claim against a rental property that exceeds the value of that property and if it is held

in a separate entity, the liability should end with that property rather than allowing a judgment creditor to seize and sell everything you own. Be sure to seek out qualified legal advice when forming and operating your legal entities. Doing things properly is key to maintaining protection under separate legal entities.

Relinquish Control

One of the best ways to insulate your assets from creditors is to relinquish control over them. An asset protection trust is a tool available in many states, including Nevada, which, once the legal requirements are met, can offer nearly complete protection against most debts and liabilities—except those for taxes and child or spousal support.

The protection offered through an asset protection trust requires two primary things: relinquishing control of asset distributions to a trustee and providing notice to creditors. While giving up control of your assets may give you pause, this is precisely what gives your assets protection. By giving up control of your assets, creditors can’t force you to hand them over. You will, of course, need to choose a trustworthy trustee, such as a close family member, friend, attorney, or commercial trustee, because this person will technically have control over any assets you put within the trust. But your trustee will owe you fiduciary duties to distribute your assets when requested, and a well-drafted trust can allow you to replace a misbehaving trustee.

Almost any asset can be placed into an asset protection trust, including, among other things, your home, vehicles, and bank accounts. You can also set up the trust so that you maintain investment control over these assets while they are within the trust—for example, if you wanted to sell a home or reinvest trust funds—and it will also continue to protect your assets if you don’t exercise control over distributions.

As a side note, asset protection trusts are also beneficial for tax-planning purposes. Under the guidance of experienced tax counsel, you can use asset protection trusts to legally shelter you from unnecessary tax burdens.

To help balance creditor interests with the supreme protection offered by an asset protection trust, the law requires giving notice to creditors prior to putting an asset into the trust. The creditor then has a certain time limit prescribed by law to bring a claim against that asset or it will be forever protected under the trust. This means that it’s important to protect your assets before your creditors have a claim against them. Don’t wait until your debts come due before meeting with a qualified attorney to set up your comprehensive asset protection plan.V

Matthew M. Pruitt is a corporate attorney at Kirton McConkie with a practice focused on corporate law, contracts, litigation, judgment collection, entertainment, intellectual property, estate planning, and real estate. He has a background in the entertainment industry in management and agent positions for such multi-platinum acts as The Killers and Imagine Dragons.

St. George’s Pioneer Courthouse

by Cliff and Ilene Bandringa

In the heart of downtown St. George sits the Pioneer Courthouse, a historic building that was the cornerstone of this once young and emerging community. Many people know that St. George was born out of what was known as the “cotton mission,” where Brigham Young, president of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, realized that the looming American Civil War would create a shortage of both cotton and silk. In December 1861, he called 309 families to settle southwest Utah to develop farms for growing cotton, trees for silkworm production, and grapes for winemaking.

The Pioneer Courthouse

Along with a little history of St. George’s beginnings, this article talks about the three new virtual walking tours that are now available on YouTube. These tours provide lots of interesting details about historic downtown St. George and were produced by the Washington County Historical Society, the City of St. George, and Washington County.

THE LAYOUT OF ST. GEORGE St. George was laid out using the “Plat of Zion,” which was a common way of laying out many towns in Utah. Residential lots were clustered in the town center, and lots were randomly given to settlers that picked numbers from a hat.

As settlers began building homes on their new lots, they needed to follow Young’s request that they build close to the street in order to facilitate larger backyards where sizable vegetable gardens could be planted. The new town was very

remote, and it needed to be as self-sufficient as possible, which included the need to produce as much food as it could. The blocks in the historic heart of St. George are 528 square feet with an area of 6.4 acres, while major streets are 90 feet wide. Each block was originally divided into eight lots. There’s an animated map that shows the city’s tract layout in the video, “The Beginnings of St. George, Utah, and its Historic Pioneer Courthouse.”

Along with the gardens and orchards that were planted in their backyards, the settlers also had fields that were held in common. These fields consisted of pastures where domesticated animals could graze, pens and corrals for those animals, and barns and granaries, which were all for managing the livestock. None of these pastures or structures exist today.

Circle points out Pioneer Courthouse in downtown St. George

Homes were built beginning in 1862, but none of the older homes exist today. The oldest building that is still standing is the Gardener’s Club Hall, which sits in Ancestor Square. It was built in 1867 and is one of the stops along the Walking Tour of Historical Residences in downtown St. George.

Most of the buildings you see today were built in the 1870s and 80s as St. George continued to grow. One of the key houses built during that time was the winter home of Brigham Young, which has been nicely preserved. It includes interior furnishings from that period, which you can see on tours offered there. Many of the commercial buildings you see today were built after 1900. For more information on those, see the Walking Tour of Historical Commercial Buildings in St. George.

Oldest building in St. George

Brigham Young Winter Home

Pioneer Courthouse

St. George became the seat of Washington County in 1863. By then, more and more people were heading south and populating the regions of southern Utah, southern Nevada, and northern Arizona, though with very little representation of the law. It became apparent that government offices and a courthouse needed to be built to bring order into what was quite literally the “wild west.”

Construction of the courthouse began in 1866 and was completed in 1870. It has a full basement that served as the county’s jail for 10 years. The first floor housed government offices, and the second floor was the courtroom that also served as the city’s community center.

Today, the courthouse serves as a museum and is still used as a community center that holds regular presentations on various topics. All three floors of the courthouse have displays from St. George’s past along with many historic pictures. For a virtual walkthrough, watch the courthouse video mentioned earlier.

For hours of operation and upcoming events, go to the Pioneer Courthouse Facebook page (PioneerCourthousestg) or website (stgeorgepioneercorner.com).

WALKING TOUR

If you come to visit St. George and plan to take the tours, they all start and end at the courthouse. After visiting the inside of the courthouse, you can leave your car parked there and go on the walking tours. They are each one to two hours long, are about a mile in length, and are all on sidewalks. The tour

routes cover the two city blocks west of the courthouse (100 East to 100 West) and the two city blocks north of St. George Boulevard along Main Street. A brochure is available.

Many of the buildings in the downtown area have small plaques out front describing their history. Even if you don’t watch the video or get walking directions from the courthouse, you can still roam around the downtown area and look for these plaques for a description of the buildings.

We hope this article inspires you to spend a few hours in the vibrant, historic downtown section of St. George and to go on these walking tours to see history up close and personal. Remember to start your tour at the courthouse where you can get a good sense of what it was like to live in this once very remote corner of Utah.V

Watch three videos that provide a tour through the Pioneer Courthouse as well as a walking tour of the buildings through downtown St. George by searching for “St. George Pioneer Courthouse” on YouTube. More details and other tour ideas can also be found on BackRoadsWest.com/blog.

One of the oldest stores in St. George St. George Mormon Tabernacle and the center of downtown

St. George Opera House

by Linda Stay, Switchpoint Development Director

Rise Garden’s story starts with Switchpoint Community Resource Center’s mission to empower those in need by addressing the underlying cause of poverty, providing a comprehensive plan, and supporting their journey to self-sufficiency. Following that same standard, Switchpoint finds ways to become self-sustaining through micro-enterprises. Rise Garden—a vertical aeroponic tower farming enterprise—was a perfect fit.

Rise Garden is the first of its kind in Utah and is one of only 300 similar facilities around the world. The greenhouse is filled with 160 vertical towers, which will produce 100,000 leafy greens year-round.

Switchpoint is a homeless resource center that helps clients living in poverty who find themselves dining on dollar menu items and inexpensive nutrient-absent foods. This diet results in nutrition-related health issues, which become a barrier to becoming self-sufficient. Purchasing high-quality, nutrient-dense greens that boost health has not been an option for many of them due to cost and availability.

As community support is vital to cover ongoing operating expenses, 80% of each harvest will be offered for community purchase, making it possible for 20% to be used to feed the resource center clients. For every four heads of greens purchased, one head is fed to those in need at the shelter, the soup kitchen, and the food pantry.

SHARED COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

The local supply of farmland and fresh water in southern Utah is growing scarcer as our population soars. Without pursuing more efficient and sustainable farming methods, we are at risk of food and water shortages. St. George is a food desert in which most of the produce arrives at supermarkets 5–7 days after harvest, having traveled

bRings Vertical tower farm to st. george

hundreds of miles and having lost vital nutrition and freshness. The demand for “locally grown” far exceeds supply as 97% of the produce that we consume annually is imported from out of state.

With its innovative approach to overcoming barriers, Switchpoint presented its well-researched solution to the Community Foundation of Utah. In early 2021, Switchpoint was awarded a grant to help purchase the materials needed to construct a greenhouse and an aeroponic tower garden farm on the existing Switchpoint campus.

Utilizing organic methods, the facility generates 10 times the amount of product while using 95% less water and land than traditional farming. The process is simple. It starts with non-GMO seeds, and then water, nutrients, and the power of sunshine are added—and voila! Perfect nutrient-rich leafy greens produced year-round!

Rise Garden does not use chemical pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Growing, harvesting, and packing indoors allows for the highest level of control over pests and diseases. The public may purchase products at the Rise Garden market, which features a variety of lettuces, spinach, herbs, kale, arugula, and mixed specialty salad greens. The market is held at the Switchpoint campus in their Community Room on Wednesdays from 4–6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8–10 a.m. Tours of the Rise Garden greenhouse are available by registration only. To schedule a tour, go to www.Risegarden.org.V

For information on how you can purchase greens and support Switchpoint Rise Garden, visit www.RiseGarden.org.

Bonnie Pendleton harvesting romaine

Remembered in Stone

by Karen L. Monsen

The title of the Scottish folk song, "Auld Lang Syne," means “for the sake of old times,” and as this year fades and a new one begins, we explore “the old times” of southern Utah and Arizona preserved in stone in our national parks and on public lands. During the Great Depression in 1933 when national unemployment was 25% and Utah unemployment was nearly 34%, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) by executive order.

Congress funded the agency to provide work for single young men and to provide labor and resources for land conservation projects—mostly in national parks and on public lands.

Historic reminders of the CCC are found in stone structures in more than 800 parks across the country, many in southern Utah and along the Arizona Strip. These include the Leeds Utah CCC camp, the entrance pillars at Zion National Park, an overlook shelter at Brian Head Peak, and numerous trails, retaining walls, and structures at Grand Canyon North Rim.

CCC Projects

From 1933 to 1942, three million male enrollees aged 18–25 enlisted for six-month stints, were provided room and board, and were paid $30 a month, $22–25 of which they were required to send back home to support their families. The United States Army provided logistics, transportation, barracks housing, and training in camps under the guidance of the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Departments of Interior and Agriculture.

They fought fires, planted over three billion trees, dealt with flood control, and built bridges, dams, and irrigation diversions. They reseeded grazing lands and worked on erosion mitigation. Additionally, History Channel online sources estimate that “57,000 illiterate men learned to read and write in the CCC camps” in addition to acquiring skills and training that improved their post-service lives.

CCC Building Lodge Retaining Wall | Photo Courtesy of Grand Canyon Special Collections

Leeds CCC Camp

Most CCC camps were temporary, of tent or wooden construction, and were dismantled after the program ended in 1942 when World War II mobilization began. In Washington County, fifteen CCC camps were established— more than any other Utah county. Leeds Camp 585 is the only camp in Utah with surviving buildings. Located one block west of Main Street (formerly Highway 91) on Mulberry Lane (200 South), the camp once covered approximately 20 acres, but now consists of four buildings on two and onethird acres. The Washington County Historical Society online resources further describe the historic site at https://wchsutah.org/ccc/leeds-ccc-camp.php.

Opening in 1933 under the direction of the Dixie National Forest Service, the camp was located where a ranger station existed. They used stone salvaged from the neighboring mining ghost town of Silver Reef, local red-orange sandstone, and rubble for construction materials. Designs and furnishings were utilitarian and spartan with flagstone floors or linoleum covering on concrete foundations. Frame buildings—which included barracks, a dining hall, a library, and showers—have subsequently been demolished, and some structures were also destroyed during the I-15 Highway construction.

Camp 585 built trails, roads, and the Oak Grove Campground (along with the road to it). Leeds had one of the largest CCC camps with 280 enrollees (the average camp had 200). They worked on the Washington Fields Canal, irrigation projects, flood and erosion control, soil conservation projects in the Virgin River Basin, and provided revenue for the local economy.

Dispensary, Leeds CCC Camp |

Photo Credit Karen L. Monsen

Blacksmith Shop, Leeds CCC Camp |

Photo Credit Karen L. Monsen

Hilltop Officers Quarters & Infirmary, Leeds CCC Camp | Photo Credit Karen L. Monsen

Built in Stone

Stone structures—the legacy of the CCC—are prevalent throughout Utah. Zion National Park hosted three camps from which workers built the Zion South Entrance, the Canyon Overlook Trail, the Campground Amphitheater, and stone flood control reinforcements along the Virgin River. Zion sent “stub camps” to Cedar Breaks for work projects, including building the Overlook Shelter at Brian Head Peak, from which some visitors believe they can view a panorama of three to four states at 11,300 feet of elevation.

National Parks were bases and beneficiaries of the CCC camps—The Grand Canyon was no exception. Seven companies worked in the Grand Canyon: three at the North Rim, three at the South Rim, and one that alternated between Phantom Ranch and Desert View. Teams worked at the North Rim in summer and moved to the canyon bottom in winter, building what the National Park Service website calls “the most difficult trail ever constructed in the Grand Canyon!” Forty to 500 feet above the river, they carved the Colorado River Trail into the cliffside with jackhammers and explosive powder, connecting the Bright Angel Trail to the Kaibab Trail. From water and electric lines to a trans-canyon telephone line, the CCC united the North and South Rims with Phantom Ranch.

Most of the North Rim CCC work was on Bright Angel Peninsula, where the lodge and campgrounds are today.

The campgrounds are bounded by Kaibab Plateau, Transept Canyon, Roaring Springs Canyon, and Bright Angel Canyon. The construction history beginning in 1928 is detailed in the park’s 2003 Cultural Landscape Report, which was prepared to petition the National Register of Historic Places for the historic designation of specific developed areas.

Surviving CCC North Rim projects include the Entrance Station, a trailside shelter near the lodge, stone walls, culverts, trails, and roads. The Grand Canyon’s historic “Special Collections” exhibit includes photographs of CCC projects, though the CCC was not responsible for all North Rim stone construction in the 1930s.

Unfortunately, the North Rim Lodge, built in 1928, was destroyed by fire in 1932. The Utah Parks Company rebuilt the lodge in 1936 and 1937 in the rustic style using native limestone and sandstone consistent with contemporaneous CCC park projects. North Rim campground work also embraced the rustic stone style well into the 1950s during the “Mission-66” infrastructure upgrade.

Like an old Scottish tune, surviving stone-work reminds us of what was but is no more and helps us appreciate those who came before and left their marks in the stone upon the land.V

There are places I'll remember All my life though some have changed Some forever, not for better Some have gone and some remain.

"

Lyrics from

The Beatles song “In My Life”

Overlook Shelter, Brian Head Peak | Photo Credit Karen L. Monsen

North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge | Photo Credit Karen L. Monsen

CCC Constructed Trailside Shelter| Grand Canyon Special Collections

What’s New Southern Utah

by Macrae Heppler

For more information on what’s happening in southern Utah, you can subscribe to my email list and YouTube at www.southernutahnewsletter.com, or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

It is hard to believe that 2022 is already behind us and that 2023 is actually here! Despite the volatility of the markets and the slowdown in residential construction during the last six months, what a year it has been here in southern Utah watching the progress of a variety of developments! Here are a few key areas throughout Washington County with developments in the works that will help the economic growth continue in southern Utah:

1. IVINS – Black Desert Resort is making great progress! The first nine holes of the golf course are open and will be followed by the other 10 this spring (yes, a total of 19 holes). The Yard—a 36-hole championship putting course—is also open. The Resort Center and 3 Villages are all under construction, and it is anticipated that the first units will be ready by the beginning of 2024. The economic impact and visual attraction that this will bring to southern Utah are massive, as the full build-out will be over $1 billion and is attracting people from all over the world. It is shaping up to be a great addition to Ivins.

2. DOWNTOWN ST. GEORGE – Among the many great things happening around downtown St. George is the construction of Tech Ridge. It has the potential to increase our county GDP by a whopping 50% at full build-out—which will be 180 acres! Currently, they’re working on the build-out of the 100,000-square-foot Sky View building, a container office park that will house companies until their offices are done, a big pavilion that will host many types of events, and an office park that will feature 10 to 15,000-square-foot buildings. Beyond this, there is a lot more coming, and there is so much to look forward to!

3. SOUTHERN PARKWAY - Desert Color has become a huge staple for all different types of housing. They’re also building out the commercial aspect of it, and Big Shots Golf has been a huge hit. Rush Funplex is in the works as well as a few other commercial businesses. Utah Tech is also working on the expansion of its grounds with a 183-acre campus that will focus on tech and innovation. This, along with the career and technical high school being built next door, will provide even more opportunities for kids to grow in those fields.

4. HURRICANE – The corridor around Sand Hollow is starting to take shape with a variety of developments, both residential and commercial. Businesses that will cater to the activities around the lake are being built—a couple of resorts along with multiple types of housing communities are making progress, and much more is happening that will make a big impact in Hurricane City. We can really look forward to it continuing to go vertical over the course of this year.

5. WASHINGTON – Exit 13 has brought in many residential rooftops over the last couple of years, and there are quite a bit of commercial properties in the works to go along with the homes. This exit is right in the center of the county, and I think it’s got a lot of potential to be special. Sienna Hills Auto Mall is underway and will feature up to 13 car brands. Also, Grapevine Crossing should have some great dining, grocery, and retail options coming in throughout the year. And the north side of I-15 has plans for a hospital as well as a big residential development, which will be on the east side of Green Spring. It will be fun to see all this being built out over the next couple of years.V

SUU’s Adult Educational Travel Program Returns From Fortress

Europe: The Final Victory Tour

by Caden Butterfield

Southern Utah University’s Community on the Go (COG) adult educational travel program recently returned from its trip, Fortress Europe—The Final Victory Tour. Participants followed in the footsteps of history by tracing the Allied advance through Austria and Germany at the conclusion of World War II in Europe.

Comprised of 29 travelers, the group was led by three expert guides: former SUU President Scott Wyatt, former SUU Board of Trustees Chair Gayle Pollock, and SUU Professor of Library and Information Science Richard Saunders.

“Visiting places where great things happened is inspirational; visiting places where horrible things happened is a solemn reminder,” says Wyatt. “Seeing both with local guides and SUU scholars helps me become a better person.”

The excursion was the final chapter of a threepart series following the World War II advance of E Company, the second battalion in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, known as “Easy Company” and the “Band of Brothers.'' The trip followed their ultimate capture of the Eagle’s Nest, Adolf Hitler’s mountaintop fortress.

This provided historical context for the places they visited, such as Munich—the birthplace of the Nazi party—and Potsdam, where Stalin, Truman, and Churchill decided the fate of post-World War II Europe.

For one trip participant, the journey held a much deeper meaning. "I made the decision to take my dad on the Fortress Europe trips so that he could see and experience the places where his father fought as a soldier when he was a child,” says Ann Marie Mclff Allen. “My dad passed away before the Final Victory Tour, so my husband, Randy, and I completed the trip to honor both my grandfather and father—remembering that World War II still touches most lives in our country in one way or another.”

Other highlights of the trip included a tour of the Nuremberg Nazi rally grounds and the Palace of Justice, which was the site of the war crimes tribunal now known as the Nuremberg Trials. Participants also enjoyed an in-depth walking tour of Berlin, stopping by Checkpoint Charlie, a remaining section of the Berlin Wall that served as the entrance to the Allied-controlled side of the city post-World War II.V

SUU Community on the Go offers culturally immersive international travel experiences for adults who love to learn and is presented by SUU Community and Professional Development. SUU faculty experts curate and lead exploration groups of approximately 20–30 travelers to various parts of the world, offering fun cultural and educational experiences. Previous Community on the Go trip destinations include London, China, Peru, Paris, and Transylvania.

Experience Priceless History at Lost City Museum

by Tracey Sprague

Tracey Sprague has been announced as the new director at Lost City Museum in Overton, Nevada. She originally joined the Lost City team as the Curator of Exhibits in April 2019 and returned in June 2022 to continue her dedication to the museum. Prior to coming to Lost City Museum, Ms. Sprague was the Collections Manager at the Neon Museum, where she oversaw several collections, including the neon sign collection, Las Vegas ephemera collections, blueprint and rendering collections, and the institutional archives. Ms. Sprague holds a Master of Arts in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University and a Master of Arts in History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In her new role as director, Ms. Sprague is excited to continue to educate visitors about Moapa Valley’s history and prehistory through expanding exhibits, public programming, and assisting with continued research.

Lost City Museum, originally known as Boulder Dam Park Museum, was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. The museum was created by the National Park Service to display artifacts recovered from local prehistoric archaeological sites, most of which were flooded when Lake Mead was formed by damming the

Colorado River. Two brothers from Overton, Fay and John Perkins, brought the ruins to the attention of the Nevada governor, James Scrugham, in 1924.

Governor Scrugham enlisted the help of archaeologist M.R. Harrington, who was then affiliated with the Museum of the American Indian, to direct the excavation of the sites before Boulder Dam was built. Harrington recognized the significance of the sites and named them the Pueblo Grande de Nevada. Excavations began in 1924 and continued off and on until 1938. In the 1920s, these archaeological finds were highly publicized and promoted. It was during this period that the romantic title of the “Lost City” was picked up by the popular press.

The National Park Service turned the museum over to the state of Nevada in the mid-1950s when the name of the museum was changed to Lost City Museum. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Lost City Museum has grown to include three exhibition galleries, a small screening room, a research library, and a museum store. Outdoor exhibits include a reconstructed Native American pit house and pueblo replicas. Lost City Museum regularly holds events and programming on its campus at 721 South Moapa Valley Boulevard in Overton. Check out lostcitymuseum.org or social media platforms for up-to-date happenings.V

Mesquite’s

(For Seniors)

by Wendy D’Alessandro

The small town of Mesquite—with its 300-plus days of sunshine and breathtaking natural scenery—is listed first on “Nevada’s Best Cities to Retire In 2022” on Retirable.com. This friendly locale is also home to Mesa Valley Estates Senior Living and Memory Care, a Mission Senior Living community that’s located at 1328 Bertha Howe Avenue and serves families in Mesquite, Moapa Valley, the Arizona Strip, and southern Utah.

“Mesquite offers the best of Nevada,” says Nathalie Francois, administrator of Mesa Valley Estates. “The location, the scenery, the people, the culture—there’s a little bit of something for everyone.” Francois describes Mesa Valley Estates as an ideal home base for retirees who believe life can be—and should be—fun at every age. “The community’s lifestyle, programming, services, and amenities promise residents the

freedom to live life their way and offer the support they need to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.”

Life Enrichment Director

Liz Beliaj serves as the community’s concierge, planning social engagements and coordinating transportation to favorite local spots, including the Casablanca Resort and Casino, Scotty’s Bar & Grill, and the local theater. Mesquite bus tours, with stops at local bakeries and ice cream shops, are a year-round favorite, as are local charity events, and there are evening concerts and shows for the night owls.

Beliaj says that those who prefer to stay closer to home have just as much fun. There are courtyard barbeques and breakfast bars; classic car shows and friendly billiard competitions; and creative arts and cooking classes. Movies and NFL football games are viewed in the theater, with popcorn and reclining seats included. Mesquite Showgirls, Jumping Fleas Ukulele Group, and other live entertainers are always on the docket.

Good Neighbors, Grateful Patriots

Mesa Valley Estates’ mission of “caring people, serving people, and improving lives” extends to the greater community. “We care about our neighbors and do our part to support the local community and the men and women who serve our country,” Francois explains.

Through its silent auction last year, Mesa Valley Estates raised and donated nearly $3,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association. The Exchange Club of Mesquite is among the local veteran organizations supported by the community. Home to nearly a dozen military veterans, the community also partners with nonprofit Dream Flights to honor them with free flights in restored WWII-era biplanes.

Life Made Easy Among Friends

Residents move to Mesa Valley Estates for convenient amenities and services. Home-cooked meals, housekeeping, transportation, help with getting dressed or showering, and reminders to take medication are among the support services offered. These services give residents the freedom to spend their days however they choose.V

Mesa Valley Estates’ mission is to improve the lives of seniors. A team of professionals is available to answer questions and provide resources to seniors and their families so they can make informed decisions. Mesa Valley Estates is located at 1328 Bertha Howe Avenue. Stop by or call today: (702) 344-5050.

Assisted Living: When to make the move

Signs of neglecting household maintenance

A Digitally Detached Visit to the Parowan Gap

by Kaylee Pickering

Atruly unplugged, unreachable, my-emails-will-never-find-mehere vacation seems hard to achieve in our modern world. Without our phones, we won’t have our entry tickets or the perfect Instagram shot to share. With our phones, we won’t have a chance to log off, reset, and travel at the pace of humans for just a moment. While bright screens, digital passports, timed entries, and all of the digital prep work for vacations can be helpful, it’s overwhelming to realize that a truly phoneless vacation may not be possible.

But there are still some places where you can comfortably turn on “Do Not Disturb,” stow the phone away in a bag, and enjoy something extraordinary. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this destination makes it a little easier to unplug while providing a moment of peace.

Considered a sacred space by the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Parowan Gap is a unique and remarkable destination 13 miles north of Cedar City. Two walls of dark Navajo sandstone seem to rise from nowhere with a perfect pathway nestled between them. This passageway was in use long before a road cut through. A thoroughfare for tribes traveling through the area, the gap became a home for thousands of stories.

On over 90 panels, some estimated 1,500 figures give a voice to the past and to those who traveled this path before you. Between the walls, the world seems to grow still, and aside from the occasional car traveling through, it also falls quiet. Little birds and creatures who make their homes between the stones call out, lending their own voices to the mix. But aside from that, it’s quiet, leaving just you, your thoughts, and the past.

A Sacred Space, A Thousand Stories

Etched into the stone of these walls, thousands of stories find their home. Thousands of people walked this path on their travels, leaving thousands of reasons to be mindful and respectful while visiting. As with any sacred site, local Paiute tribe members ask that while visiting, you keep your voices low, your music off, and your hands away from the stone.

While there are some panels with clusters of very clear and wellpreserved petroglyphs, don’t miss the others hiding throughout the stone. Tucked here and there at odd angles are thousands of additional glyphs among the sandstone. Small mountain goats hide behind green sagebrush and lunar designs are tucked high along the cliff (just below a crow’s nest). You never know what shape may be hiding on the next panel.

The Parowan Gap at a Glance

The petroglyphs found here are interpreted differently depending on the culture, time, and background of the interpreter. Looking at the beautiful spirals, evenly marked linear designs, and seasonal symbols found here, many visitors link the glyphs to solar and lunar calendars.

Space and Time

While the glyphs themselves seem to reflect seasonal and calendar themes, the walls of the gap mark the seasons

as well. During the autumn solstice, visitors can gather for an incredible phenomenon as the sun sets perfectly between the walls of the Parowan Gap. It is a truly stunning sight as the sun nests in the bottom of the bowl. This happens at the summer solstice as well.

Following a brief program about the history of the area, visitors experience the stories told in the petroglyphs and begin a short hike to designated rock cairns to watch the sunset.

Prior to the sunset, however, visitors can catch something unique, a sighting of the formation called the Overseer, or Tovoots (pronounced Too-Vuts), as the Paiute elders call it. On the southeast side of the gap, there is an outcropping in the shape of a human profile with his mouth open. For two days in November, while standing in the gap, you can see the sun enter the mouth and be swallowed by the figure. This is interpreted as a sign that the summer sun has gone into its winter home and that cold, harsh weather is

approaching. Then, in March, the sun is spit back out to signal the coming of summer.

Regardless of what draws you to this site, you can find peace, quiet, and an incredible experience between the towering stone walls. While visiting, please remember to be respectful of this historic site by keeping your voice low, remaining on marked paths, and never touching the petroglyphs themselves.V

Let wonder be your guide.

New Executive Director Announced for

by Michelle Sundberg

The Center for the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK) and the Kayenta Arts Foundation (KAF) are proud to announce the appointment of Miranda Wright as Executive Director of CFAK. Wright (shown left) succeeds Jan Broberg, who served from 2017 until 2022.

Wright’s appointment concludes a search of applicants from across the United States. “The executive director role is critical to the Center for the Arts at Kayenta. Miranda has a very strong vision for the next stage of the center’s growth. We are all very excited to see what new artistic heights we will reach under her leadership,” states KAF Board Chair, Rob Goodman.

As executive director, Wright will handle both the artistic and strategic aspects of CFAK. These include building and expanding the CFAK legacy through long-term planning and envisioning, increasing visibility, expanding the diverse talent brought in, and increasing the capacity of CFAK to reach a broader audience.

Wright grew up in St. George and attended Southern Utah University before moving to Los Angeles, California, in 2006. Over the past decade, she has worked closely with remarkable theater and dance artists in Los Angeles and New York to produce boundary-pushing and engaging performances that have toured worldwide.

Many of the internationally-renowned artists Miranda has worked with over the past decade will visit southern Utah for the first time as part of the new artistic direction of the center. Under this new direction, CFAK will offer performing arts experiences unlike anything else available in the region, including virtuosic dance performances, award-winning professional theater, and immersive installations.

She has an extensive background in performing arts and founded Los Angeles Performance Practice in 2010 and the Live Arts Exchange [LAX] Festival in 2013. In Los Angeles, she worked with Center Theatre Group, Center for the Art of Performance (CAP) UCLA, and CalArts Center for New Performance among others. Performances produced through her company have toured across the United States and throughout the world.

Wright was also the recipient of Center Theatre Group’s Richard E. Sherwood Award in 2014 and was awarded a Cultural Exchange International Fellowship in 2015 through the City of Los Angeles and the British Council. This allowed her to work with ArtsAdmin in London. She is a founding member of the Creative & Independent Producers Alliance (CIPA) and the International Presenting Commons (IPC). In addition, Wright holds a certificate from the Institute for Curatorial Practice In Performance from Wesleyan University, an MFA in Producing from the California Institute of the Arts, and an Executive MBA from Hult International Business School.

“Life is full of surprises, and while I honestly did not imagine my career taking me back to my hometown, I am nothing but enthusiastic about this incredible opportunity to return to the St. George area,” says Wright. “Since leaving in 2006, I have traveled the world, formed amazing relationships with awardwinning artists, and have actively participated in national and global networks of professionals who are dedicated to the art of performance. I truly can't wait to introduce artists and global colleagues to the natural landscapes and welcoming culture of Kayenta and Washington County. I look forward to meeting the audiences and artists living in southern Utah and to bringing dynamic and electrifying programming to our communities.”V

The CFAK 2022/2023 season was programmed by Jan Boberg and runs July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. Miranda Wright will begin to introduce her programming to Kayenta audiences in March 2023. For more information about the Center for the Arts at Kayenta and executive director Miranda Wright, please visit KayentaArts.com or contact marketing director, Michelle Sundberg, at marketing@KayentaArts.com.

About Kayenta Arts Foundation and The Center For the Arts at Kayenta: Kayenta Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and create an environment where diverse artistic endeavors can flourish. The Center for the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK) is our beautiful black box theater that brings our mission to the community. Southern Utahns come to CFAK to learn, express, appreciate, and celebrate art in all its forms.

The Kayenta Arts Foundation is supported in part by funding from Washington County and Ivins City RAP funds. KAF is also supported in part by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Organization Information: http://www.kayentaarts.com/about-us/ Upcoming Events: https://www.kayentaarts.com/events/list/

Custom Tile Mosaic and Art Installations

by Randi Fuller

As the owner and resident designer of Mesquite Tile and Flooring, I am often called upon to consult with our sales team for jobs with more complex parameters. For one such project, I went out to assess the job parameters for the customers, who wanted to keep their existing tile, have the carpet in the living room area removed, and have new tile installed in its place. There were a couple of problems that they were facing. Number one: the existing tile that they had was no longer in production, which meant we would not be able to match the new tile to the existing tile in their home. And number two: they had an open floor plan, which meant that the transition from the existing tile to the new tile would be highly visible.

Knowing the objectives and main problems, I began exploring options, drawing up sketches, and presenting ideas and possible materials. Once sketches and materials were selected and an overall plan was approved, I was ready to get started on creating my vision.

Using inspiration from the shapes of a broken plate that hung on the customer’s wall, I created a template for a tile entryway medallion and then created a template for the mosaic tile transition band. The existing tile was a dark terracotta color. The new floor tile was a cream color with darker tones mixed in that worked well with the terra cotta tile. We selected a third soft sage green tile specifically for the medallion and band.

Once the new tile arrived, I began cutting each piece for the transition band. I cut and glued the green tile and the new cream-colored tile to fiberglass mesh backing strips, leaving spaces for pieces of some of the existing tile to be added later. In total, I made nineteen interlocking mosaic sheets for this project. This was a slow process due to how small the pieces were and how many linear feet the band would cover. The medallion, however, went much faster as the pieces were much larger and there was only one large piece to create.

On the day of the tear-out, I had one row of the existing tile removed as carefully as possible so that I could reuse it in the band and medallion. Once I got these tiles, I had two days to clean off the old thin-set and then prep and cut seventy-two small trapezoid shapes for the band as well as several larger shapes for the medallion.

The final step was to make sure the band segments fit together perfectly before transporting. I made adjustments and cuts as needed and then packed up my precious cargo, labeling each piece in the order that they would be installed.

By incorporating both the old and new floor tiles into the mosaic band, I was able to transition

the old tile into the new tile successfully. The touch of green tile mixed into the band and medallion complemented the surrounding tile beautifully and coordinated with the rest of the home's decor. The addition of the medallion created an additional grounding piece, pulling the whole house together into one cohesive look.

Not only was I able to help solve the design dilemma for my customers and exceed their expectations, but I was also able

to turn their floor into an original tile art installation that is completely unique to them.V

Randi Fuller owns Mesquite Tile and Flooring and specializes in design. Randi is also a local artist whose favorite media are tile, watercolor, and digital art. You can follow Randi’s art on Instagram @thesanctuarycreatress and any of her future tile projects @mesquitetile.

Holistic Health for our Pets through Diet

by Anita DeLelles

Keeping our pets healthy is a top priority for pet parents. But too often, food allergies and intolerances are overlooked as a cause for illness or discomfort. Is your dog scratching a lot? Having frequent tummy upsets? Do they seem hyperactive or lethargic? How about the condition of their coat? Has there been hair loss or red, dry skin? These could all be signs of intolerance or sensitivity to certain foods or even to their environment. Proteins, grains, food additives, preservatives, fruits, vegetables, and seafood are all common culprits. Environmental factors such as a specific grass or pollen can also cause a myriad of health issues. Identifying these imbalances can save on vet bills and help your pet lead a long, healthy, and happy life.

First, it is important to note the difference between intolerance/sensitivity and food allergies. Food intolerance occurs when the body has difficulty digesting or breaking down certain foods, possibly due to enzyme deficiencies. It is a non-immunological response, and the immune system is not activated. Adverse reactions, often related to digestion, will occur over time.

An allergy is when the immune system produces antibodies in response to specific foods, ingredients, stings, bites, or an environment it has previously been exposed to. The term “allergies” should be reserved only for adverse reactions that have a true immune component. Allergic responses can

include acute reactions, such as swelling, difficulty breathing (anaphylaxis), hives, rash, and vomiting. A true food allergy is not very common, and nearly 95% of reactions are due to food intolerances.

Some visible signs of food and environmental intolerance to watch for are:

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Flatulence

• Frequent scratching or hair loss

• Red, inflamed skin

• Poor coat condition

• Chronic ear problems

• Poor growth in young dogs

• Coughing, wheezing, and sneezing

• Poor stool quality

• Frequent urination

Until recently, identifying these food sensitivities could take weeks or months of manipulating your pet’s diet. This would include visits to the vet, special diets, and waiting for the unpleasant food intolerance symptoms to subside. Fortunately, there are now at-home sensitivity tests that can identify more than 200 food and 100 environmental intolerances. WOOF! Wellness Center offers these test kits and will assist in collecting and submitting the test and will then help review and interpret the results with you. This is not meant to replace allergy testing but rather to help detect imbalances, which, when corrected, allow the gut and body time to rebalance.

Once specific food or environmental irritants have been identified, food alternatives and supplements can be explored to improve the quality of life for your pet. Careful diet changes can considerably improve your pet’s well-being, and in the long term, may help avoid chronic conditions, such as arthritis and the degeneration of teeth and gums, and improve the health of internal organs such as the kidneys and stomach.

At WOOF! Wellness Center, we suggest our clients get regular vet check-ups for their pets and schedule a wellness assessment with our therapist. Even without a food sensitivity test, many pets can benefit from carefully reviewing their diet and adding herbs and supplements to their daily routine. Our 3-Point Wellness Assessment is performed by a licensed, small animal massage therapist. Besides giving nutritional advice, she will evaluate your pet’s temperament and mobility—gait, posture, and physical condition—to keep your pet on track for a long, healthy life.V

For more information on wellness for pets, training, rehabilitation, massage, and hydrotherapy, contact WOOF! Wellness Center and Training Academy at (435) 275-4536 or visit www.WoofCenter.com.

Tennis TNT - tips 'n' tricks -

by Donna Eads

As the new tennis season starts, it is a great time to be at home and to enjoy the play from “down under” via the Australian Open, which is the first Grand Slam Event. If you haven’t upgraded your television or service, now is the time. Every time a player watches the pros play, they learn something new. It really does improve your game to spend the time not only watching but imitating their play. Challenge yourself to copy their footwork for a game. You will find that they take more steps than you thought possible.

Since most of us can’t film ourselves during play, use a full-length mirror in your home to practice your strokes. Focus on footwork and flowing shot dynamics. The easy volley dance is one to do where you are always moving toward the ball as you go for the shot. For right-handed players, that means stepping to the ball with your left foot for a forehand, and for a backhand, it is your right foot. Of course, for left-handed players, just reverse the feet. Practice makes it so you just do it without thought.

In your home exercise area, the best aerobic machine is the rower. Rowing works all of your muscles and your core as well. Be sure you have some light weights that are no more than 10 pounds to work the small muscles of your shoulder and wrist. These muscles are only about the size of your little finger, and they cannot take a great deal of weight, so start light. An easy exercise for the wrist is to hang your hands over a counter and with your palms up, lift your hands up and down around 15 times.

You can add a twist as well. For your shoulder area, it is out front with side and overhead lifts.

Sticking with the palm-up-and-down idea, use the following trick to handle that difficult low shot at your feet so you can keep it simple. The palm is up for a forehand and down for the backhand, and you can just flick the ball over the net. Remember, “less is more” when you are closer to the net, but go for placement as well. Keep the racquet in front as you move forward toward the ball, too.

Patterns are important to have as a strategy during play. In singles, try hitting to one side of the court at least three times, then either hit a drop shot or a normal stroke into the other side. If you do a drop shot, move in to put away the weak return. In doubles, try the drop shot followed by a lob, or reverse the order, and be sure to discuss your plan with your partner, too. As you are watching the pros play, try to figure out their plan. They all have one.

One tip is that you can call a foot fault in two situations in a match. Those two situations are: the server is standing on or crossing the hash mark in the center of the court, or they are outside of the court sidelines. It is a courtesy to give a warning first but is not necessary. Be sure you get out of the way of any out serve, and never catch it. If their serve hits you in any way, it is their point! This rule is true for any out ball.

See you on the courts!V

by Becky Boyd, President of The Mesquite Showgirls

The Mesquite Showgirls will host their Fourth Annual Denim and Diamonds Valentine’s Dinner Dance at the Rising Star Sports Ranch Resort on February 14th, 2023.

For those of you who are new to our area, the Mesquite Showgirls are a nonprofit all-volunteer group of lovely ladies with big hearts that love their community. Their big smiles bring the bling and feathers to any event. Quoting one local gentleman, “It’s not an event if the Showgirls are not there.”

You might see them in sequined jackets and top hats or in Showgirl style with full-feather headdresses. They might be greeting you at the door of the theater or selling raffle tickets at the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The Showgirls were founded in 2011 by Jean Watkins with three lovely ladies and has grown to 22 ladies over the past eleven years. They have made over 700 appearances.

The members are as diverse as their costumes. The majority of the ladies are in their 60s (there might even be a few in their 70s, but we won’t tell who), and some are even in their 30s, so

age and size have nothing to do with being a Showgirl. They might not dance or sing, but they sure bring the bling. They bring an extra razzle-dazzle to any event with their fun costumes, welcoming smiles, and shining personalities.

“We have costumes numbering over 5,000 pieces that can fill a warehouse, and they vary in color and design for any occasion,” notes founder Jean Watkins.

The Denim and Diamonds Valentine’s Dance is a fundraiser to help with the cost of housing and keeping the feathers and costumes in tip-top shape for their next community or nonprofit event. The Valentine’s Dinner Dance always has delicious food, fabulous music for dancing, and great prizes. Tickets will be on sale in January, and they go fast.V

The Mesquite Showgirls are always looking for new members, so if you are looking for something fun to do while helping your community, meeting amazing ladies, and dressing in fabulous outfits, consider joining this group. No matter what event they go to, FUN is always the name of the game.

A Simple Way to Make More Putts

by Rob Krieger, PGA

Think about it—the one to four-foot birdie putt, which you may use to win the match (or to not embarrass yourself because it is the putt you are supposed to make), is difficult to successfully execute. Pressure, overthinking, or just trying too hard can get to the best of players. We have all missed short putts that we were supposed to make—that’s golf. However, if you are missing more than your fair share, this simple trick will help you make more short putts.

For short putts that are one to two feet in length, you do not need a large or powerful stroke. Place your feet together with the ball in the center of your feet. You do not play any break— aim for the back of the cup, then take the club head of the putter back to the outside of your back foot, and follow through only to the outside of the front foot. This short, even stroke will have enough energy to keep the ball on the path to the hole.

outside the hole. You may need to aim outside the hole on some occasions, but generally, it will not be more than a ball outside the cup unless there is significant slope.

Usually, staying inside the cup will get the ball in the hole. With faster greens, you may want to keep your feet together and go to the outside of each foot as a shorter stroke will be sufficient for speed.

As a final note, as you practice, you may end up not looking at the ball and might instead watch the putter head going back to the spot with the back foot and through to the spot on the front foot. This is perfectly fine. Some find watching the putter head focuses them on the stroke tempo and the correct club path. Try practicing while looking at the putter head and then looking at the ball as you make your stroke. See which way is most helpful for you. The goal for these short putts is to hit them with the same speed and straightness.

From a little farther away, such as three to four feet, start with your feet together, but then move them apart—one putter head for the back foot and one putter head for the front foot.

This time, when you take your putter stroke, you simply take the putter head back from toe to toe and make an even pendulum stroke that has enough speed to hold its line. On this slightly longer putt, try targeting it so that you do not have to aim

This strategy eliminates:

1) Worrying about hitting the ball harder or softer to make a putt.

2) Not making each putt virtually a straight putt, not aiming inside the cup, and using too much break.

The overthinking of speed and break are two of the primary reasons why people miss their shorter putts when they should be making them.

Best of luck making more putts during your practices and on the course. As always…Fairways & Greens!

V

Rob Krieger, PGA

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