Cisco Sonar

Red Mountain Castle

By Bryce Neilson, The Character

I am drifting around Rich County constantly.  I always try to go down roads I have never travelled before to see where they go.  Sometimes they go to BIG TROUBLE.  Too steep, too rocky, too slick, too much brush or the biggest problem of all, no place to turn around.  Sometimes they go to great spots.  I have flown over the County many times in a small plane and have seen it all from the air, but it is different on the ground.  I will be sharing some of my finds in the future.  I won’t tell you where they are.  That is your job.  If I don’t  know its name for it, I make one up. 

Southern Utah is famous for the rock formations, but Rich County has them too.  My favorite is the “Red Mountain Castle”.  It is formed by nugget sandstone.  It is called that because of all the small different rocks imbedded in the sandstone.  It is also known as an oil bearing layer.  I go here a couple of times a year to poke around, see what is living or what has died between the spires of the “castle”.  No garbage, graffiti and few tracks of humans.  It is a great place to reflect on your place in the world.  You will feel my presence if you ever go there.  I plan on returning this spring when things are green. 

 

Letter From Principal RE: Released Time And Trimesters

Dear Fellow Staff Members, (Posted on Garden City School District Facebook Page)

I am sending you the attached document that explains the reason why we are going to take a stand and say no to the request to add a third trimester of released time. Of course, I would love to have my own children attend a full year of seminary, but that just is not possible at this time. Oft times we do not do a very good job of explaining the “why” behind decisions. As many of you are aware, a letter went out from the seminary this week to all parents urging them to support this proposal and talk to their board members. The proposal was being directed by the Kemmerer Wyoming Stake. I would like to give you information so that you might positively speak to this subject as it will surely be discussed over the weekend. I as well as other faculty members and board members are placed in a delicate and awkward situation of trying to defend this volatile issue.

We are fortunate to have approximately ninety percent or above of our students attend seminary. This is probably the highest in the state. What an amazing accomplishment. This is the results of a combined effort of everyone involved including the positive cultural changes that have occurred at the high school.

I would like to briefly address two other concerns that were touched on in the letter. The trimester schedule is what actually allows Rich High School’s students to be able to take all of the many course that are available to them. The benefits of the trimester schedule far outweigh the negative. I have explained it in the report but please shed a positive light on it. Secondly, we have to continually remind people of the benefits that the four day week affords us. We have four uninterrupted days of academic instruction. We have forgotten what it was like when we had activities spread throughout the week. Furthermore, the total hours of instructional time exceed the 990 hours of instruction required by the state.

Finally, as staff members of the best district in the state, I feel we need to do a much better job of positively supporting each other and each other’s schools. We need to take every opportunity to praise and applaud the efforts of our fellow colleagues and put to rest the negativity that so quickly spreads through our small towns and on social media.

I am writing this during the intermission of the high school play. My heart swells with pride to be associated and involved with the wonderful youth and parents of this county. We have a unique culture and I hope we continue to keep it moving forward in a productive and positive way. “There really is no place like home.”

Thanks, Rick Larsen

Portion of document which discusses the need to consolidate the Seminary block so that classes will be filled by small student body.  Entire document on Garden City School District Facebook page.

"Now the challenge that we have in a small school is that we only have 130 students more or less each year. During each class period we have to spread out these students amongst the required core classes and the other class offerings during each period. There were just not enough students to fill all of the classes that we were offering. To make matters worse, the state had increased graduation requirements in math and science. We knew that we would add two additional math classes making Geometry and Algebra yearlong courses as well as adding Chemistry or Wildlife Biology as an additional science requirement. Furthermore, the state was requiring a new financial literacy course for all seniors. At that time the faculty made a commitment that we didn’t want to cut out any existing programs. So, what was the alternative?

We needed to cut out courses to add additional hours or students being available to take these courses. In other words, if you take out a class that they would have chosen, then they will have to choose another alternative. Furthermore, we would have to restructure the schedule so that the core classes that took up the majority of the students were spread throughout the schedule. And then the arguing and heated discussion began because everyone wanted to protect their “sacred cows”.

It became apparent that we were just making everyone upset so we set up a scheduling committee with the objective of looking over the schedule and making recommendations to fix this issue. The scheduling committee was made up of Tammy Hoffman, Delora Wight, Justin Groll, Anthony Mitchell, and Blair Hurd. After many hours of heated discussion they came up with a list of recommendations that nobody was happy with but we felt like it was necessary. It appeared that almost everyone was taking a hit for the greater good. At that time Brother Hull attended all of our faculty meetings and was involved in all of the heated discussions as well. He realized as well as everyone else that the cuts were needed and necessary...."
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Morning At Harbor Village

Photo by Teisha Hart

Coming Events

For more information go to http://bearlake.org/events

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Easter Egg Hunt

April 03, 2015 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Come join us at the Garden City Park for our annual Easter Egg Hunt!  Arrive early, hunt will start at 11am.  

Beaver Mountain Hillclimb

April 17, 2015 8:00 am - April 18, 2015 4:00 pm

Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hillclimb Association (RMSHA) sanctioned hillclimb. Date subject to change depending on conditions.

Brenn Hill Concert

April 25, 2015 7:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Singer/songwriter Brenn Hill returns to the Allinger Community to entertain the Bear Lake valley with his unique cowboy style of western music! 

Volunteers Skipping Training, Fire Board Told

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  March 19, 2015. Randall Knight has been updating the Employee handbook.  He has made changes and sent copies to the Board Members.  They, in turn, have given back additional suggestions.  It was noted that vacation and sick leave should probably be put into one ordinance.  Also, greater clarity when dealing with payment for assisting other districts when emergencies occur should be made.  There were a few other suggestions.  Randall said he would make the changes and again send copies to the Board for their input.

Chief  Mike Wahlberg had a couple of items he wanted to present to the Board for their opinion.  Action could perhaps be taken at the next meeting.

Currently, not all of the volunteer firefighters are coming to all of the training meetings.  Chief Wahlberg wants to try and encourage them to attend.  He though that men who attended 70 percent and up should received the Christmas Gift, the Christmas Dinner, and perhaps a monetary bonus.  Those between 50 percent and 70 percent would get the Christmas Gift and the Christmas Dinner.  Those between 25 percent and 50 percent would be given the Christmas Dinner.  Those below 25 percent would be placed on inactive status. 

Each of the individuals would be given an opportunity to make up their training using online sites that keep them sharp and ready to handle emergencies.  It is really a matter of safety.  Everyone needs to review and keep up on their training in order to do a good job when needed.  Chief Wahlberg said he would post the percent of attendance so that all firefighters will know where they stand.   Training is held twice each month for two hours.  The Board members asked that an ordinance be written, and they would review it and make a decision next month.

There are two individuals who have moved into the area who are interested in becoming firefighters.  Chief Wahlberg was pleased that they both have had experience and will be a great addition to the Garden City Fire District.

Chief Wahlberg would like to purchase a new boat for water emergencies.  The boat they currently use is cold, wet, slow, difficult to control, and easy to swamp.  He proposed that the current boat be kept because it is good for hazmat issues, working within the harbor, and body recovery.  However, those accidents out on the water require a faster response than the current boat is capable of handling.

Some additional equipment needs to be placed on the current boat if it is going to be used this summer for rescues.  A tower, radar equipment, a sonar device, and some work on the helm. The update for the boat will cost about $9,000.

Chief Wahlberg has been looking into the type of boat that would do a good job for the District.  He noted that he has found second-hand water craft that cost from $18,000 to $25,000.  Some additional equipment and medical supplies would need to be added to the boat, but would allow a much faster response.  The new boat should have a center console, carry a crew of three, and be about 26’ to 30’ feet in length.

The Board requested that Chief Wahlberg do so additional research.  He also needs to list the equipment that will be needed if the new boat is purchased.  He should also create a list of items that will have to be removed from the want list in order to balance the budget.

The responses this last month included an auto fire, a sunk boat, an extraction, and an agency assist.

Some of the equipment does need repair.  A company has been called and will be coming in the near future to make sure everything is in good condition.

Jenny England needs to turn in a copy of her certificate for her board training.  The firefighters have discussed having a shed raising party—probably later this spring.

Toms Are Preening, Must Be Sprink

Photo by Elvira Luzack

Musings Of A Muddled Male

Convenience or Exercise?  That is the Question

By Bob Stevens, The Muddled Male

        Ann, my wife, lectures me in a gentle but firm manner about lots of things.  Most lectures stem from the fact that my affinity for sweet things is coupled with an aversion to exercise.  Ann claims that she has to lecture me because if I don’t change my ways and become healthier I am going to expire and leave her alone up here on the hill.  If the truth were known, however, I am guessing that in her former life she was a nutrition professor and just enjoys lecturing.  Take this morning for example.  It was a chilly day as I began this column, and Ann was insisting that we keep the thermostat down to our usual sixty-nine degrees Fahrenheit because she is adamant about saving Propane.  When I slipped on my winter coat to sit down at the computer in our den, she assumed that putting on a coat meant that I was going outside.  When I told her that I just trying to keep warm while typing my column, she told me to man up, a little cold is good for me.  Of course it could be worse.  My friend the Professor’s wife insists on sixty-six degrees Fahrenheit maximum in his house.  A contrasting comparison is my lucky Polish friend whose wife likes him to keep the temperature in their house closer to seventy-four degrees.  I have tried to get my Polish friend to adopt me but Ann put the kibosh on that by telling his wife that I would be a pain in the neck.  When Elvira said that she already has enough pains I knew that my chance to be adopted into a warm home had just been thwarted.

        Ann’s lectures about sweets are general discussions about sugar being bad and fiber being good.  But our disagreement over exercise is more complicated.  I like convenience.  Ann likes inconvenience if it means I will be forced to walk.  Take parking, for example.  If Wal*Mart would let me I would park inside the store where they keep the shopping carts so that my walking distance would be minimized and I could load our car inside, out of the weather.  Ann, on the other hand, insists that we park a quarter mile away in the far corner of the parking lot so that I am forced to walk at least a half mile just to get a box of frozen waffles.  The same goes for shade.  I like to park in the sun with the windows rolled up so that for just a few moments after first getting back into the car following shopping I can feel really warm.  Ann insists that I hunt for the shade of a tree at the edge of the parking lot so that the car stays cool while we are shopping in hopes that the frozen things we just bought stay frozen until we get home.  I know her real reason, however.  She is just trying to condition me so that I think that sixty-nine degrees back in the refrigerator where we live is actually warm.

        Then there are our disagreements over the assortment of tools I keep in a drawer in the kitchen so that they are handy and able to be reached without me having to walk.  Ann feels strongly that tools (pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, etc.) should be kept with the saws and drills in the garage so that reaching them requires me to go out in the cold and walk to retrieve them.  My argument for storage in the kitchen is that such tools are for quick repairs and need to be kept close to the area where emergencies happen.  Besides, I argue, those same tools can double as kitchen utensils when needed.  I use the pliers all the time, for example, to crack Pistachio’s, pull the hard-to-remove aluminum foil seal off the top of my snack time yogurt container, and remove hot waffles from the toaster.  A screwdriver works as a handy skewer for use in toasting marshmallows over the open flame of our propane cook stove … provided that Ann doesn’t catch me using propane.  But the hammer is used only for the finest of delicacies.  You know those succulent, big as a catcher’s mitt, battered shrimp that you used to get at the Utah Noodle in Ogden, Utah.  You may be surprised to find that a shrimp doesn’t grow that way, it has to be pounded out flat with a mallet.  And that is where my hammer comes in handy.

        It was then that I saw the look in Ann’s eye and realized that I was about to be the shrimp and she the mallet.  Out of respect, or maybe fear, I decided to move the tools and my computer out into the garage and start walking.  Next I plan to purchase an inclined treadmill so that I can do lots of uphill walking while checking emails on the new iPhone I am planning to slip past her during her reverie over my new regimen of exercise.

Spring At The Lake

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield