Correction

In the post about Mike Williamson's sentencing, we reported that the County Attorney had agreed with his attorneys that he be sentenced to 211 days in the Rich County Jail.  He had not, his statement was that he recommended an appropriate sentence from the judge.  The judge sentenced Williamson to 1-15 years in the Utah State Prison.  - The Editor

Pancake Breakfast at the Marina

Cisco Sonar

Black Invaders

By Bryce Nielson, The Cisco Kid

I have lived in the Bear Lake Valley for 43 years.  It amazes me how much bird populations have changed during that period.  I spend a lot of time casually watching birds at my feeders and on and around Bear Lake.  I have observed a number of significant changes this year.

The first, this spring was the lack of gulls around the lake.  The herring gull usually shows up when the first fish truck arrives.  One squawk and the word is out and gulls arrive for everywhere.  The pavement would be white on the outside edge of the marina. When you are out on the lake, you could throw one potato chip overboard and in less than five minutes you had a flock begging for more.  You would see them and franklin gulls (black head) feeding in the fields by Woodruff.  This year I have seen very few gulls, hardly any while DWR was stocking fish.  I have heard of this phenomena in other inland western areas.  Maybe climate change, which is now the standard answer when something weird happens.

The other bird is the American crow.  They were extremely rare here 40 years ago.  I don’t know about you, but it seems they are everywhere now.  They are usually disliked, a relative of a magpie, but an interesting bird.  They range throughout the U.S. and Canada.  They are similar to ravens but smaller with a blunt tail.  Their flight pattern is unique with patient, methodical flapping broken up with few glides.  Crows don’t breed until they are at least four years old.  They nest in mature evergreens, which are common now in urban areas and residents/cabins where humans leave a lot of food.  What I found interesting is that they form family groups up to 15 birds.  The young from previous years stay with the parents and help raise the new chicks.  The only leave when they are old enough to breed.  In the winter they accumulate in roosting areas, sometimes up to 2,000,000 birds, which cause obvious problems.

They are extremely smart, mischievous, thieves, can use tools and generally a pain in the butt.  They eat anything from night crawlers to your dog’s food.  You will see them by roadkill, but they can’t tear anything apart with their blunt, bills so they have to wait until something else rips it open or it rots.  They follow other birds to their nest where they can eat the chicks.  They wait for migrating, exhausted, songbirds and then eat them.  They will gang up on hawks flying with food and make them drop it.  They are also the most susceptible bird to west Nile virus.

Love them, hate them, ignore them, they are here to stay.  At least as long as the seagull did.

Raspberry Days Aug 4 to Aug 6

Raspberry Days 2016  

August 4th, 5th, & 6th

The Raspberry Days Festival is an incredible event held to celebrate the harvest of the world famous Bear Lake Raspberries. The Raspberry harvest usually starts around the 3rd week of July and lasts 3-4 weeks. The Raspberry Days Festival is an annual event. The festival is a fun filled 3 days with the Little Miss Berry Pageant, the craft fair with continuous entertainment, the Parade on the Boulevard, the Rodeo and 5K run in Laketown, the Pancake Breakfast at the Garden City Park, dances, and ending with the fireworks on the Beach.

• Wednesday, August 3, 2016 Miss Berry Princess Contest - 5:00 PM Stage at 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah. 
• Thursday, August 4, 2016 Zumba, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Free! Bring a towel and water bottle. Located on stage at the Craft Fair. 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah 
• Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah Bear Lake Valley Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM 300 West (69 North Paradise Parkway) Garden City Town
• Center Entertainment 4:00 PM - Ashley Hess, a Youtube Sensation 
• Parade - 6:00 PM Bear Lake Blvd., Garden City, UT - Theme: Get Berry’d 
• Family Dance, 6:00 PM The Bear Lake Dance Place 535 W. Logan Canyon Rd. Singles $5, Couples $8, Families $20 
• Entertainment 7:00 PM - Van Lady Love, presented by Chad’s Raspberry Products.

• Friday, August 5, 2016 Zumba, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Free! Bring a towel and water bottle. Located on stage at the Craft Fair. 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah
• Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah
• Bear Lake Valley Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM 300 West (69 North Paradise Parkway) Garden City Town Center 
• Entertainment 4:00 PM Rough Stock Band, Plays Country Favorites! 6:30 PM Mile Marker 6, Country Hits and Classics 
•  Rodeo, 7:30 PM Laketown Arena Broncs, Bulls, Roping, Mutton Bustin’ Free calf and chicken chase for kids Call 435-946-9000 for Mutton Bustin’ sign up (sign ups open July 6th) and more information. Tickets available at Dee’s, Pugstones, & Craft Fair. Pre-sale Price: Ages 12 & over $7, Ages 4-11 $4 Gate Price: Ages 12 & over $8, Ages 4-11 $5 Ages 3 & under free 
• Dance, 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM The Bear Lake Dance Place, 535 W. Logan Canyon Rd. $10 each teen and young adults 
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• Saturday, August 6, 2016 Raspberry Days 5K Run, 8:00 AM Race starts at Laketown Park Pre-register at www.runnercard.com 
• Pancake Breakfast, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM Garden City Park Sponsored by the Garden City Fire District. Adults: $7, Kids 12 & under $3 
• Bear Lake Raspberry Days Golf Scramble 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM Bear Lake West Golf Course (4 miles North of Garden City) 208-945-2744 
• Zumba, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Free! Bring a towel and water bottle. Located on stage at the Craft Fair. 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah 
• Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM 50 South & 100 West, Garden City, Utah Bear Lake 
• Valley Craft Fair, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM 300 West (69 North Paradise Parkway) Garden City Town Center 
• Entertainment 3:45 PM September Say Goodbye 5:00 PM Madilyn Paige, Top 20 Voice contestant during Season 6 
• Rodeo, 7:30 PM Laketown Arena Broncs, Bulls, Roping, Mutton Bustin’ Free calf and chicken chase for kids Call 435-946-9000 for Mutton Bustin’ sign up (sign ups open July 6th) and more information. Tickets available at Dee’s, Pugstones, & Craft Fair. Pre-sale Price: Ages 12 & over $7, Ages 4-11 $4 Gate Price: Ages 12 & over $8, Ages 4-11 $5 Ages 3 & under free 
• Dance,8:30 PM – 11:30 PM The Bear Lake Dance Place 535 W. Logan Canyon Rd. $10 each teen and young adults 
• Boat Light Parade - 9:00 PM Fireworks - 10:00 PM 
• Raspberry Days 5K Fun Run Saturday, August 6, 2016 Pre-register at www.runnercard.com Start & Finish at Laketown City Park No day of race registration! 

Paris, Idaho - Architectural Treasure

In 1978, the Idaho Historical Society cataloged over 80 architecturally significant historic houses and commercial buildings in Paris, Idaho.  In this and future columns we will highlight one or two. The Paris Museum has information about this and other homes. 

13. SITE NAME :  Hotel Paris        SITE       76

7 Main Street, Paris, Idaho

The Hotel Paris building, on the southeast corner of Main and Center, is an approximately square structure on a daylight basement.    Fabric is red brick on the street sides (buff brick, with segmentally-arched openings, on the south side and rear elevations). Trim is concrete, wood and metal.The only alterations to the building are superficial: a wooden skirt forming a box eave around the Main Street porch roof, a metal awning at right front, window re-glazing.  The building appears sound and is still in use as apartments.

An outset porch is centered on each street side; the porches have flat roofs, supported on short, block battered wood piers on tall concrete-capped brick bases.    The entrance on Main is evidently the primary one, with front as well as side walls, and an extra set of brick pillars flanking the concrete steps. On the basement and first stories, up to a continuous concrete sill running under the windows, the brick is rough-textured.  From the sill to the crested and parapet roofline, it is smooth.  Windows are of various types--fixed, casement, sash; hence some re-glazing has apparently occurred. The concrete sills and transom lights of the downstairs windows are undisturbed, along with the truncated pilasters, capped with small "hip-roofed" wood and metal ornaments, which separate them.  The main decorative elements on the upper story are simple geometric patterns formed by header and inset courses of the brick, and the broad, flat, Prairie style metal cornice suspended midway between the window heads and the roofline.

Hotel Paris is architecturally significant as one of Paris' more pretentious buildings, and as the first non-religious structure to occupy the Tabernacle block. This long-awaited project was brought about through the same backing and designers as the Browning Block.   In fact, this building and the business block were being built simultaneously in 1917.  Shreeve and Madsen of Ogden were the architects and the contractor was Louis Sorenson of Rigby who brought in not only his own workers but materials as well. Construction began in 1916 after the lot had been purchased from the church.

In its finished form, the hotel had twenty-two rooms and was "elegantly furnished throughout.  With its bungalow and Prairie appearance, the hotel would have been, even more than the Browning Block, a truly "modern” addition to Main Street.

Some of its horizontal character is found in the Public School further north on Main Street, but the hotel design has no colleague in Paris. (14 Paris Post, 8 March 1918)

Mike Williamson Sentenced

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, reporter

Rich Civic Times

Twenty years ago retired Rich District teacher, Mike Williamson who was then 40 years old, had a four year sexual relationship with a 13 year girl, a minor, a student of his at Rich Middle School and Rich High School.  She was also a friend of one of his daughters.  In an emotional statement, Williamson asked for forgiveness and gave a talk about the atonement of Christ.   

He cited his “mistake” which caused Judge Tom Wilmore to verbally jump all over him saying it was not “mistake” it was a crime.  Wilmore also chastised friends and family members who wrote glowing letters about Williamson’s value to the community and the schools in spite of his one “mistake”.

The victim was allowed to respond and in a hushed and choked voice began to detail the serious offenses and the fear and betrayal that she felt when a beloved teacher began to molest her over and over for four years and threaten her with her family’s future and his family’s future happiness if she told anyone.  She said “you used me for four years and tossed me away. And then you sentenced me to a life sentence of fear, self-loathing, confusion and trauma.”

Her husband, with barely concealed rage, gave his testimony about the phone call to Williamson that they recorded as the victim confronted Williamson.  He said that Williamson said that their relationship had helped him be a better father and husband and that he thought she would be a better wife and mother because of it.  “How can that be when we both now live in fear when our three kids go for a school or church activity. How can it be when our marriage had this secret that only came out two years ago that my beloved wife had held hurting in her heart?  You have had your life for 20 years, you have been allowed to retire and to enjoy your grandchildren…this is still happening to my wife every day.”  At this point, one of the victim’s sisters began to sob and the judge ordered her to leave the court.

The County Attorney and Williamson’s attorneys plead that because he has stage 4 prostate cancer he should be sentenced to 210 days in the Rich County Jail so that he could get medical attention.  They said because of the type of cancer, he was not a danger to anyone else and that he had done a lot of good in the community.

The judge said that he had been wrestling with this for a long time.  He said however, this was a heinous crime against the noble profession of teaching and a crime against the community as well as a crime against a little girl, a child, a minor by someone who, as a teacher,  he was responsible to protect. 

Judge Wilmore said that he wanted to send a clear message and create a deterrence, so Mike Williamson having plead guilty of sexual misconduct with a minor was sentenced to 1-15 years for the first count and 0 to 5 for the second count to run concurrently at the Utah State Prison.  Williamson was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom to the sobs of both families.

Tammy Weston Nelson 1961-2016

Tamara Weston Nelson 55, passed away peacefully in her home July 29, 2016 in the arms of her loved ones- her husband, children and grandchildren.

Tamara was born in Montpelier, ID on June 21, 1961 to Joseph and Arlene Weston. June 21^st is very fitting for her birth as it is the summer equinox- the longest day of the year and mom lived every day to the fullest. She married her sweetheart, Brad Nelson, December 18, 1980 and they were blessed with 5 children.

Tamara loved spending time outdoors hiking, running, and camping, and her favorite memories were those with her husband and children. Everyone who knew Tamara, knew of her strength and perseverance which shined through as she faithfully endured stage IV colon cancer for 7 years. She ran a good race, fought a good fight, and amid all of this, she was always looking for ways to serve and bless the lives of others.

Tamara is survived by her loving husband Brad Lester Nelson, 3 sons and 2 daughters, Tyler & Ashley Nelson of Layton, Utah, BJ & Shandee Nelson of Iowa City, Iowa, Trevor & Katie Nelson of Iowa City, Iowa, Talina & Derek Labrum of Pocatello, Idaho, and Brookayla Nelson of Nibley, Utah, as well as her soon to be 10 grandchildren.

Surviving Parents, Joseph & Renate Weston, and 3 surviving brothers, Ted & Raegene Weston, Max & Shirlynn Weston, and Hal & Pam Weston.

Tamara was preceded in death by her mother, Arlene Beck Weston, Grandpa Maurice Beck, Grandma Virgina Beck, Grandpa Lorin Weston, and Grandma Hazel Weston.

A viewing will be held at the Nelson residence 4865 S. Hollow Road in Nibley, Utah on Wednesday, August 3 from 6pm- 8pm. 

Funeral services to honor and celebrate Tamara’s life will be held on Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS Church 3650 S 450 W Nibley, UT (viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m.). Burial services will immediately follow the funeral in Fish Haven, ID.

Garden City From The Overlook

Photo by Cindy Winter

July Fire Board Report

Chris S. Coray, reporter

Rich Civic Times

The Garden City Fire District governing board held its monthly meeting on July 21 in the fire station.  All board members were present.

Tiffany Wahlberg presented a financial document covering the operation of the fire department for and through the year ended Dec 31, 2015.  The department is in sound financial condition and complies with all required state financial procedures.

In its continuing efforts to remain connected to the community the department held a barbecue for all citizens on the 23^rd of July at the city park.  The department also helped with the flag raising ceremony on July 23^rd.

While there are many areas in the district, e.g., Sweetwater Hill, where fireworks are forbidden at all times, there are a few places inside the town of Garden City during the period 21-27 July where they are allowed, under the direction of the fire department.  Outside of that 6 day period fireworks are prohibited in all places.

In other items, the department will again host the annual Raspberry Days pancake breakfast.  Some of the proceeds will be transmitted to the Rich High School drill team as girls from that team will be providing much of the help needed to operate the breakfast.

Chief Wahlberg has located and obtained a new 5,000 gallon tender/trailer for water to replace the 50 year old one which has deteriorated (due to age) to the point of being non-operational.

Brush truck 42 has almost reached the end of its functional work life and will be replaced over time.

There were 61 incidents in the past month; 4 fires (the biggest being the north lake fire across the lake), 17 medical assists, 13 fire alarms, 3 carbon monoxide alarms, 3 propane leaks, 2 rescue boat call outs, and 19 fireworks violations (compared to 43 last year).  The chief did note that so far this year there had not been a single reported fireworks violation on the Sweetwater Hill but that the widespread effort to educate people in the district appears to be producing results district wide.

Merlin Olsen Summer Classic Auction

Ready...Set...Bid!

Bear Lake Watch is excited to announce that the Merlin Olsen Summer Classic Auction is now ONLINE! With auction items like Powder Mountain and Beaver Mountain Ski passes, a Lifetime Paddle Board and Utah State, University of Utah and BYU Game Day packages, this is an opportunity that you won't want to miss.

The process is simple. Go to www.BIDDINGOWL.com, click onBidder Sign Up and set up an account. Next, go to Featured Auctions and search for Merlin Olsen Summer Classic. Bidding on over 70 items starts on the morning of August 11. While you will miss out on the beautiful Bear Lake view, you do not need to be present to win. Shipping costs may apply, so read the full item description.

If you plan to be at the lake, join us for the Elegant Picnic at Bear Lake West, catered by Cooper's Restaurant. The food will be served on August 13th at 4:00pm. Tickets are $25 per person and should be sent to MOSC, P.O. Box 205, St. Charles, ID 83272 by August 5.

Humanitarian Groups Represented at Bear Lake Crafters - Raspberry Days

Sandi Gunderson Warner, contributor

Rich Civic Times

Animals Need Help of Bear Lake (ANH)

ANH Bear Lake is an all volunteer, no-kill rescue organization located in Montpelier Idaho whose mission is to rescue and rehome abused, neglected and homeless pets. Volunteers work hard to ensure these animals are socialized and healthy before placing them in a forever home. (8+ years ago we got our beautiful Sam from them).

The ANH motto is “We are their hope, you are their future” and they are guided by the principle: SAVING ONE PET WON'T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT SURELY THE WORLD WILL CHANGE FOR THAT ONE PET.

To raise funds for their community spay-neuter program they will be selling shirts, hats, jackets and other items with their logo plus some items handmade by local crafters who truly believe in and support their mission.


Garden City Humanitarian Quilters

Marie Weston started the Humanitarian Quilting group at the Garden City LDS Church in 1993 and was its organizer for 14 years. When Garden City purchased the property on 300 West and built the City Office Complex, they included a closet specifically for quilting supplies and Humanitarian Quilters have been housed there ever since. They get-together every Tuesday afternoon in the Mountain View room above the library to quilt and socialize and laugh and truly enjoy what they do to give back.

Over the years they have made and donated approximately 12,000 to 13,000 quilts, the majority of which are sent to the Humanitarian Center in SLC who provide the fabric. They have also donated several quilts for families in need, the Road Home in SLC, the Women's Shelter in Logan, to hospitals and some to a couple of schools that had students in need.

To raise funds for batting they will be selling some of the quilts made with fabric donated from their own and other's quilting supplies.

So please stop by the Bear Lake Valley Craft Fair in the Lake View Bldg on 300 West during Raspberry Days and support 2 of our most active and beloved non-profit organizations.