Sam Casillas Becomes US Citizen

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  May 10, 2017.  A large crowd honored Garden City’s newest U.S. Citizen, Sam Casillas at a dinner hosted by the Garden City Firefighters.  Casillas came from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico to work with Bryce Huefner for the summer in 2006.  He spoke no English at that time, but he was competent and a hard worker and earned the respect of his employer, friends and coworkers.   He married Jennifer Negus of Garden City in 2008 and they have 2 children, Dominique and EmmaLee.  Casillas not only worked at his job, but he volunteered for the Garden City Fire Department and worked many hours on some very complicated fires.  

He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is a very faithful home teacher and Sunday school teacher.  He has worked to help young people who needed help learning Spanish as he learned to speak English. 

At the celebration people stood and told how he had helped them move, or done volunteer work for a project.  Everyone praised his cheerful work ethic and neighborliness. 

Casillas stood and thanked the friends and neighbors who were celebrating with him and talked about how welcoming, loving and supportive this community had been and that the people of the town were now his second family.  He said that he was very proud to be a citizen.

He had a “green card” which allowed him to work in the United States, but two years ago he began the complicated process of becoming a US Citizen.  Asked about how difficult the citizenship test was he replied that it was not hard because he had studied so much.  On May 10, 2017 he was sworn in Salt Lake City.

Garden City Planning and Zoning

Randall Knight, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. May 3, 2017.   The Planning and Zoning meeting began at 5:00 PM and the board members present were: Lance Bourne (Chair), Susan House, Joey Stocking, Jim DeGroot, Jared Hislop and Zack McKee. Tom Stevens was absent.  

Ray Elliot, developer, requested a conditional use permit to allow seasonal/overflow parking for trailers on 5 acres located at approximately 2340 S. Kimball Lane.  Elliot and Mel Maynes said they have met with all of the land owners along Kimball to see if they would agree to donate some of their frontage road to allow widening the easement to 50 ft.  They said everybody is in agreement.  They requested authorization as soon as possible so Elliot's customers can start parking May 15. The board thought the recommendations made by them made sense but needs some more detail delineated.  The board agreed the permit will be reviewed every 10 years to see if the conditions are still required or modified.  Because of Elliot's timeline, there will be a special meeting to review the specific conditions and hopefully approve the request before May 15.

Nate Perry discussed a recommendation to amend the plat for Legacy Beach and to move the condos on the East side of the road from the wetlands to a different spot on the lot. 

Mayor Spuhler addressed the commission.  He complimented the way the commission has worked with the developers to accommodate both their desires and the cities in an attempt to make the process easier and quicker. He asked the board to review the Bear Lake Master Plan and Garden City General Plan to keep those recommendations in mind when they are working with the various requests and ordinances they deal with.  He also said the city will try to fund any travel and fees to attend training meetings covering planning, ordinances, zoning regulations, etc.   

A request was made to approve the architectural standards and parking for a new eating place named Rucas at 284 S. Bear Lake Blvd by Dalena Kelley.  Kelley said she hopes to open July 1 and will offer breakfast, salads and sandwiches.  The board approved her request.

Nate Perry's request to amend the plat for Legacy Beach was approved.  Some of the amendments included changing the address for lot 12 from 608 to 602 S. Amber Lane, corrected the spelling of Loraine Court to Lorraine, and making lots 15 and 17 larger by eliminating lot 16. 

Howard Pope and Robert Peterson discussed adding a 30 ft cell tower for CentraCom in the Shundahi development at approximately 1100 S. Bear Lake Blvd.  The tower will provide high speed internet to line-of-sight customers.  The main concern identified was power access.  Pope said the footprint for the guy wires would be small and could be installed within one month after authorization is provided.

Holly Weston Retirement Party

Holly Weston, NRE 5^th grade teacher 

Is retiring at the end of the year.

We’re recognizing her Monday, May 22 at 3:30

 In the multi purpose room at the North Rich Elementary School.

The public is invited.

Good Stuff

Wolves In My Backyard

By John Brown, The Man 

National Geographic ran an article in the March  2010, issue titled “Wolf Wars.” It has a great interactive map. You’ll want to read the whole article, but I want you to look at something.

First, here’s a picture of a wolf in Yellowstone licking his or her chops over a recent elk kill.  Looks real friendly, doesn’t it. Here, poochie, poochie, poochie.

A few facts. Wolves can grow up to six feet long (tip of nose to tip of tail) and three feet tall. They weigh on average about 80 pounds but can be as heavy as 150-190 pounds. Wolves can reach 40 mph when chasing, but the use their stamina more than speed. Regardless of how they catch you, their jaws are strong enough to crush bones. You want more facts? Go to a wiki article on canis lupis.  The point is that they are large, smart predators. At the top of the food chain. These aren’t little doggies. They’re killers. And they are mighty hard to socialize with humans (read the wiki article).

Of course, it can be done. Not far away in Heber City, Utah lives Doug and Lynne Seus (yes, that’s the name–gotta love it!) who train wild animals for movies. The company is called Rocky Mountain Wasatch Wildlife. I know you’ve seen one of their animal “actors,” Bart the bear, in many movies. The Seuses also happen to train wolves. A friend of mine grew up in Heber with the daughter of Doug and Lynne. She visits from time to time. Last summer she went down and saw the wolves. My friend was told that she had to carry any children she might bring.

Why?

Because the children are food. That’s why. And when she went out there, the wolves were tracking those children every minute with their eyes. Freaked her out. In fact, another friend got so freaked she took her kid back to the main house and didn’t come out again. Folks, these are wolves that work with humans ALL THE TIME.

I know the nature programs often make it seem like wolves are harmless, but they’re predators. Just like grizzlies, tigers, or crocodiles. Wolves are dangerous. A pack kills up to two elk a week. That’s a lot of eating. But they’re all up in Yellowstone, right?

Um, no.

Holy schnitzel!

If you didn’t read it above, they’re estimating about 1,645 wolves in 217 packs eight years ago. And that’s just the ones that have been officially documented. You know there are more out there that haven’t been seen. Look at the one all the way out by Casper, WY. Those bad boys can travel. In fact, the NG article says that wolves stake out a territory of about 200 to 500 square miles (a circle of that size has a radius of 8 to 13 miles). They travel on average (AVERAGE!) 60 miles from their pack when seeking a mate or new pack. Although one was recorded traveling 500 miles.

Spring Glass

Photo by Dawn Brady, Garden City

Bear Lake Water Company Proposed As Local Improvement District

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  May 3, 2017.  Last month in a public hearing, the Bear Lake Water Company, represented by Terry Allen, had asked county commissioners to take over the water company for Sweetwater, near Garden City, as a first step in creating a Local Improvement District.   If the county rejected the proposal to take over the water system, which is the size of a municipal water system, the BLWC would be allowed to apply to become a local improvement district independent of the county.

The commissioners said that as they have reviewed the project they realized that they were incapable of being a water department and that they believed that the county should not be in the water business in Sweetwater as they were not involved with other water systems. However they would like to help with whatever is needed to get the Local Improvement District. Norm Weston, commissioner, made a resolution to decline the request for services. 

Now the Sweetwater HOA and the Bear Lake Water Company will move ahead with forming the Local Improvement District.  Allen said the county surveyor needs to sign off on the survey for the district, so that the survey can be used as the district boundaries to take to the Lt. Governor’s office for filing.  Commissioner Bill Cox said that will be done.

Allen said that at the April 22 BLWC board meeting, it was voted that the existing water company board members be the board members for the Local Improvement District.  A motion from the county was needed to approve that.  This district board will meet quarterly.

"Private water companies are just disappearing and districts are taking their place so that they can apply for grants and loans," said Allen

The county moved to approve the existing water company board and offered assistance in any way they could to the BLWC.

County Resource Management Plan

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  May 3, 2017.  Mitch Poulsen, Bear Lake Regional Commission Director and Brian Carver, BRAG , discussed the county resource management plan for public lands.  The draft was presented to the county commission for review.  It will be broken up into categories for use in public lands issues and planning.   There have been two public meetings at the planning commission meetings discussing the plan.  It should be completed by the end of the month.

Poulsen  said there are twenty seven topics covered.  He would like the commission to prioritize the top 5 or 6 projects so that it will  be available  for grants as the projects contemplated are begun . Commissioner Bill Cox praised Poulsen for getting it ready on time and doing a good job.  “We will live and die by this management plan in the future,” he said. They hope to have a formal adoption of the draft on May 13, and the final adoption at the end of October. It will be presented in a template which can be automatically updated online. 

Brian Carver said that the plan is already working well.  They have been working with soil conservation districts and collecting data on issues for the plan and it has been a good process as they have worked with the BLM and Forest Service.  

Commissioner Tom Weston said that there is more BLM land in the county than Forest Service land and yet they have difficulty working with the Forest Service.  Weston asked why Cache/Rich is the only district that doesn’t allow the cutting of Christmas trees or wood. He was told that the counties terrain  is too dangerous but it is not different than the adjoining Idaho terrain.   

Weston believes that the relationship is harder because the Forest Service has such rapid turnover and just as their people get familiar with the area they are moved.  He was told that the Ogden supervisor was looking into that.  

Stocking Trout At The Lake

Photos by Bear Lake State Parks

County Commission Meeting

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  May 3, 2017.  Randolph resident, Bret Argyle, asked county commissioners for a business license to open a full service feed and supply business with ranching supplies and bulk supplies in Randolph at his ranch.  He feels that his prices will be competitive and should also save local farms and ranches on freight and time. 

Melinda Hislop, interim director of the Bear Lake Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, said that Bear River Heritage organization didn’t get an application last year for the TRT monies but that they are still reprinting the brochure that they used two years ago.  They are asking for $1,200  from the BLVC advertising budget. They get funding from several counties  and print over 20,000 brochures.  The Bear Lake Rendezvous Chamber of Commerce has also produced a brochure of which the Bear Lake Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau will pay half.

Hislop is acting as interim director, until a new director can be hired.  Currently there are four applicants for the position.

A quagga mussel workshop sponsored by The Bear Lake Regional Council was held this month.  Idaho will help fund the two checkpoints in Utah.  They felt that it didn't make sense to have one at St. Charles, Idaho because Utah station is before North Beach and you can go to North Beach without going to St. Charles, so they will fund the Utah stations.  

Tom Weston said it should be on North Beach with cleaning stations but if not then the Utah checkpoints would work.  A boat owner could go through many checkpoints on their way to Bear Lake. And even though Wyoming checks for quagga,  Utah doesn’t recognize their certificates.  

Weston said, "You could go to many checkpoints, and answer the same questions over and over. There should be someway to not duplicate this." 

Garden City Resident Dies - Ruth Nyman 1951 - 2017

Ruth Allison Dunn Nyman
February 18, 1951 - May 2, 2017

Ruth Allison Dunn Nyman, 66, passed away at home in the loving arms of her husband, Carvel Nyman, to whom she was married to for 48 years.

She was born Feb. 18, 1951, to Ruby Valoie Peterson and Clifford Wright Dunn and died May 2. 2017.

She was a devoted wife and mother to four daughters: Heather (Scott) Buck, Idaho Falls, ID, Hope (Sam) Bergener, Idaho Falls, ID, April (Luke) Larsen, Bend, OR, Angel (Tyler) Nelson, Magna, UT. She has 12 grandchildren: Jory (Myriah) Buck, Alex Bergener, Daken Buck, Raeni (Dakota) Heninger, Makenna (Kade Christiansen) Bergener, Brody Buck, Halle Bergener, Rylen Buck, Isabelle Larsen, Dylan Larsen, Kyrie Ruth Nelson and Savannah Nelson, and one great-granddaughter, Rose Olive Buck.

She grew up with her two brothers Roger(Gloria) and Jeff (Marleen) on the banks of Hyrum Dam, where pranks were a part of everyday life. She devoted her life to the people she loved. She was known for her delicious bread, Christmas Danish and beautiful quilts. One of her greatest joys was serving in the temple with her husband for 8 years, where she made many close and valuable friends.
She was met at the veil with open arms by her parents, and her parents in law, Mervil Alfred and Grace Schenk Nyman, and her loving Heavenly Father.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Nyman Funeral Home. A viewing was held Saturday, May 6, 2017, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Garden City 2nd Ward chapel located at 65 S. Bear Lake Blvd., Garden City, Utah. Graveside services were held following the viewing at noon in the Garden City Cemetery. Condolences and memories can be shared online with the family at www.NymanFH.com.

Parade Of Homes In May

Parade of Homes

May 26, 2017 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Garden City Utah, Garden City

NEW PARADE DATES!!!

2017:MAY 26, 27, 29, JUNE 2, 3

Friday, Saturday, Monday 10 am-8 pm

NOT OPEN SUNDAYS

Buy tickets for the 2017 Parade of Homes at Bear Lake Real Estate offices, Parade Homes 

or on our website.

Tickets are $10, children 5 and under may enter homes free of charge.

If you purchase online, bring your receipt to a parade home to exchange for a ticket.