Thelma Satterthwaite Johnson 1922 -2017

LAKETOWN - Thelma Satterthwaite Johnson, left this life Aug. 22, 2017. Thelma was born on a

beautiful spring day, May 16, 1922, to Victor Bartlett and Alice Elva Pope Satterthwaite, in Garden City, Utah. She was the third of five children, growing up in Pickleville, Utah, on a small farm just off the shores of Bear Lake. Summers were spent getting chores done, picking raspberries, helping weed the large family garden, then walking to the nearby lake to enjoy swimming, sand and sun. Weekends were spent with the entertainment of "the day," dancing at Ideal Beach and Lakota. Thelma attended grade school in Garden City and graduated from North Rich High School in Laketown, Utah. She often spoke of how nice her teachers were and how much she loved school. Reading and learning to write were her favorite subjects; she couldn't wait for noon recess because that's when she got to read another book.

Thelma married Keith Weston Johnson on Sept. 19, 1942, in Paris, Idaho. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple on March 30, 1959. Keith and Thelma enjoyed 68 years together on their beautiful Big Creek Ranch in Meadowville, Utah, and also their ranch in New Mexico and Wyoming. As a rancher's wife, Thelma excelled at her rigorous responsibilities. Her doors were open to all and to dine at her table was an experience not to be forgotten. Thelma will always be remembered for her generosity, hospitality and endless talents. She reached out the same to the hired men as she did to the wealthy who entered her gracious home. Thelma served faithfully all her life in the LDS Church and especially enjoyed being a part of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
Thelma was preceded in death by her husband, Keith, baby son Gilbert, her parents, and two siblings, Wanda and Bob. She is survived by her children, Joan (Mark) McKinnon, Dee (Gaye) Johnson, Bonnie (Dewey) Forsberg, Philip Johnson, Nola (Farrell) Eastman, Kim (Brent) Roberts, Yale (Lisa) Johnson. Also surviving are 21 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, many nieces and nephews, her sisters Ione and Laverl, along with a special aunt, Marie Pope Weston.

Funeral services under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary of Logan, Utah, and were held at noon Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Laketown Ward, Laketown, Utah, with visitation from 10 until 11:45 a.m. that same day. Interment was at the Big Creek Ranch Cemetery, Meadowville, Utah.

Appreciation goes to those who kindly and lovingly cared for Thelma, and also to those special "true to the end friends" who took time out of their busy days to stop by and give their love, leave a bouquet, and send many sweet notes. Thelma was greatly loved and will be dearly missed.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.allenmortuaries.net.

New Teachers Announced

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  August 16 2017.  New teachers were introduced to the school board.  Katy Hoffman taught in Evanston for four  years after doing her student teaching in Laketown.  She and her husband are building a home in the Junction.  She will teach the first grade. 

Frank Smith, also a local, will be at North Rich in second grade.  He has been teaching in Lyman, Wyoming.  He grew up in Montpelier and graduated from Utah State.  He will be living in Randolph, Utah. 

Aaron Worthlin will be teaching social studies.  He worked in Riverton, Utah.  He has a Master’s Degree and has coaching experience.  Worthlin will live in the Mt. Fuel community.

Patty Argyle, a long time teacher, has resigned.  “She has been an outstanding member of our faculty,”said Principal Kip Motta.   

There is a half time position in special education available, a two day a week position in speech therapy.  The first grade may need a half day aide, with more than 25 students the school can hire an aide.  There are 26 registered.  They will wait until the first week of school to make the decision.

Top Notch Tech At High School

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  August 16 2017.  Deloris White and Casey Johnson have received grants to put significant money into the school. Rich County is at the top of technology in the state.  There are four rooms dedicated to tech and White and Johnson have for the last decade been working on it.   This year all four rooms were upgraded with 80 inch televisions which can be controlled from office with a touch remote.   Utah Education Network (UEN) gave the school $12,000 a room.  They also updated the SYCO system. 

“A lot of the power outages affect the equipment,” said Johnson. “ But it is so much better than before.  The bandwidth is greater which makes the download seamless.  So distance learning is much easier with the sharp clear TV rather than the old projectors.   We have a 40 minute generator. It can also power Laketown.  We had two long outages which have blown some of the other equipment and the generator helps protect the equipment.”

Distance meetings can be held in the facility  and it can also be a broadcast site too so the professors can visit and broadcast from Rich County.  Thirteen people graduated with associate degrees last year with the classes in this facility. 

Bloomington Lake

Photo  by Linda Baird, Garden City, Utah

High School Graduation Requirements Change

RANDOLPH, Utah.  August 16 2017.  High School Graduation Requirements are changing this year.  Weston Taylor, School Guidance Counselor, said that Earth Systems and Biology will require three credits as transition to a full year of Earth Systems and a full year of Biology.  Last year’s freshmen took Earth Systems so the transition will take two years to be at four credits.  The District made the change a couple of years ago in the academic core classes which were increased to a full year.  The District wants to improve ACT scores which were low in the sciences.   

Because of the four day week and a trimester system classes are longer.  Board member Bryce Huefner noted that one of the benefits of a trimester is options for more classes and that this change lessens the options for other classes like BTC offers.   He asked why are the scores no higher on the ACT with longer classes and a trimester system. Superintendent Dale Lamborn, replied that “Our science scores were low and the science department said that science teachers felt that they did not have enough time to teach.

Principal Rick Larson said, “We are doing more assessments of students with local tests to see where the gaps are. Is it instructional or curriculum?  It does take away two periods to take concurrent enrollment.”  Monty Weston, Board Member, said that  it will take away from college credits,  but a tech class will not be required so that means only one class is affected.”

Larson said, “We do want to have more career and college readiness classes.    Usually the state will not accept middle school credit but they will in tech,  so we will offer it in middle school freeing up a credit in high school.  Board Member Scott Tollentino wants to give students more options to participate in BTC programs as well. 

The Board approved the changes  in graduation credits. 

School Taxes To Increase

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  August 16 2017.  The Truth in Taxation public meeting was held as required by law. Richard Clark, Rich School District, gave a PowerPoint presentation  explaining the need for a tax increase stressing that although there is an increase in valuation, taxes will go up but will be mitigated by the reduction in another tax. 

No one from the public attended the hearing.

Clark explained that there are three general sources of funding, federal small state funds, basic levy, plus state aid.  Rich School District has not had an increase, even for inflation, since 2010.

There are four reasons for a increase in funding:

1.       Educator Retention,  other competing districts have significant raises and Rich County must remain competitive.

2.       Educator Development.  They have increased training by 4 days to give teachers more educational tools.

3.       Cover inflationary expenditures, for example,  medical insurance went up by 7 percent.

4.       Cover lost Federal and State revenue.  UPASS was cut by $12,000 and At Risk money was cut by $40,000.  In addition,Title 1 and Title 2 money was cut by $100,000.

Rich School District has the fourth lowest tax levy in the state of Utah, which includes all school taxes.

A primary home with a valuation of  $200,000  will see taxes  up $32 per year.  A second home tax will be raised by $58.40.  But because  there was a reduction in debt service the net increase is $14.09 on a primary home and $24.60 secondary home. 

   

Eric Wamsley, board member, said “We so appreciate the second home owners, they play a major part in our school district funding.”

Rich Adult Education

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  August 16 2017.  Weston Taylor, Rich High School counselor, introduced Blaine Fakrall from the Morgan School District who directs an alternative path to graduation from high school.  Fakrall said that this program, which is being used in Rich County, is a one on one program which is tailored to student’s needs.  Taylor said that Rich County Schools developed the Rich Adult Education program with Morgan so that people who need to graduate from high school can.

Mikail Bayley finished his high school courses through this program and received a standing ovation from the Rich School Board as he was given his diploma.  Taylor said that when Bayley started the program he had very low skills.  Fakrall worked with him to get him to the level of basic adult educational skills.  Then he took the necessary tests and scored much higher than was needed to graduate.  In July he spent about 50 hours to finish the classes he needed and has taken the final test. 

The Rich Adult Education program is being used by others in the county and is a good resource.

Pickleville Philosophy

A Phone Call

By Jim Stone, The Pickleville Philosopher

Well I made it through Raspberry Days.  Today has been pretty slow.  I was sitting here thinking about a late night phone call from one of my oldest friends.   He was heavy in mind about how his life was going.

Its amazing how when you’re true friends with someone even if you haven’t seen or talked with them in many years it seems that things between friends just always stay the same.   You might not see or hear from them much but you never stop caring about them and their well-being.  I love to check in on friends maybe that’s one reason I’ve enjoyed Facebook so much, it’s kinda a update on how everyone is doing but I’d rather just make a phone call and really catch up.   I was thinking a phone call doesn’t cost much and is worth a fortune  anyway. I scribbled a poem down about a simple phone call.

“Sometimes...it’s worth a phone call…

Sometimes it's worth a simple phone call

Sometimes it just might make your whole day

Sometimes a simple phone call just gives you a great ending to a good day or even a bad day.

Sometimes a simple phone call just takes you away turning a not so good day into a wonderful day with a great ending.

Sometimes it’s worth a phone call...just a thought...maybe  I’ll call...maybe I’ll call you back, maybe I won’t call you back .

It’s depending on why I’m calling you right now.

Maybe you’ll call me back; maybe you won’t call me back, it depends on what we are talking about right now. You’ll call me back or I’ll call you back because the way it’s going right now.

It’s just …maybe it’s for sure.

So for sure, I won’t just maybe call you back.

I’ll for sure call you back

Just a thought, maybe I’ll call…

Well, make a few phone calls and check up on old friends.

Speaking for myself, my late night phone call last night just brightened up my whole day.”

Clouds

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield, Little Starling Photography,  Garden City

Fire Board Meeting

GARDEN CITY, Utah.   August 16, 2017.The Fire District meeting was held on Wednesday this month due to two board member conflicts.

Fire Chief Mike Walhlberg reported fewer people attended the Raspberry Days Breakfast this year with an estimated number of attendees being approximately 800 instead of the regular 1500.  Because the cost of the food had gone up and the numbers had gone down, the profit this year was less than a $1000.  Everybody thought the numbers were down due to the high water reducing the beach area.  Wahlberg suggested the price be increased a dollar and reducing the breakfast items next year.  Everyone feels that if 300 West is finished it would be nice to move the breakfast to the new park because it would be closer to the festival. 

The ambulance that was located in Garden City was in a wreck and that has left Garden City without an ambulance and any medical calls will result in waiting for the one from Laketown to arrive.

The EMS board approached Wahlberg about putting the medical equipment on the fire IC truck so the EMTs could provide an immediate response and be able to prep the patient while waiting for the ambulance for transport.  The IC truck would be available 24 hours a day and set up to be a quick response vehicle (QRV).  Walberg agreed to the suggestion and reported there have been several heart attacks and the rapid response capability has saved lives already.  Jenny England, board member, stated that she didn’t have an issue with the truck being used, but felt the board should vote on this approach to cover the increased liability to the fire district. Wahlberg stated the truck is first and foremost a fire truck, so if there is a fire call and an EMS call, the priority would be the fire call.  The board voted unanimously to approve the use of the IC truck as a QRV for the EMS, provided the existing policies and procedures are followed under Walberg's direction. 

                       

Randall Knight, board member, asked what the status is on the ambulance replacement.  Wahlberg said the highway patrol has almost a month to provide the accident report and the insurance cannot move forward without the report.  The company that builds ambulances would expedite the construction of a new one and say it could be done in 90 days. He feels it will most likely be 3-5 months after the paper work is done.

There was 1 structure fire, 1 semi-truck fire, 1 short-term rental propane leak, 1 vehicle vs propane tank accident, 13 medicals, 1 technical rope rescue, 17 fire alarms, 7 CO alarms, 2 agency assists, and 1 marine search last month.

           

Merlin’s restaurant caught on fire Monday night after midnight and ruled as an undetermined cause for now, but the authorities are pursuing some leads.  No one was injured, the firefighters did an amazing job and responded within 5 minutes.  Merlin’s will be closed for an undetermined amount of time. 

Fatality in South Eden Canyon

PRESS RELEASE:  Utah State Parks & Rich County Sheriff’s Office

On August 19, 2017 at approximately 2035 hours, a fatal accident occurred approximately two miles up the South Eden Canyon in Rich County.

A large family outing was happening with people camping in the South Eden Campground. A group of riders were out on the trails and it was starting to get dark. Members of the group were getting worried and went to search for the group of riders.

A male and female in a side by side were traveling a trail searching for the group when one of the late riders, a 46 year old male on a dirt bike, was traveling toward them on the trail. The side by side and the dirt bike collided, head-on.

Brad Williams, 46,was killed as a result of the crash.

Shelby Secrist, 37, was injured and transported via air to an Ogden hospital. Jerri Inman, 45, was injured and transported via ground to a Logan hospital.

The deceased and injured are from Box Elder County.

Incident is being investigated jointly by Utah State Parks and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office. Investigation is ongoing.

Moose On The Loose!

Photo by Linda Baird, Garden City