Cisco’s Sonar

By Bryce Nielson,

This one was tough for me to write.  I think it was better when she is still alive instead of after she is gone.

Retirement of a Hunter

Don’t jump to conclusions about “Old Bryce” giving up hunting.  It is not true.  As long as I have grandsons who want to go or friends that will take and old guy along, I am ready.

I am talking about my faithful spring spaniel, Maggie.  When I picked her out of the litter 13 years ago, I had looked for a female that was not aggressive.  Previously, I had two labs and a Brittney spaniel, all of which we “over the wall” active.  I wanted to train this little liver and white spaniel to be a “duck dog”.  Most of her breed are upland game hunters, adept at pointing and flushing birds.  There are not many pheasants around Bear Lake but there are ducks.  Born in June, I worked with her and she was ready to try and retrieve by October.  She was a natural, loving the water and picking up ducks.

For the last 11 years she has only gotten better.  She would stand by the side of the Bear River below Oneida, covered in ice, and still make retrieves on the other side of the river.  Standing in the frigid water next to the blind, she would spend all day searching the skies for ducks.  I couldn’t have asked for a better dog that was a true retriever.

As the years passed, her body started to give out on her.  They say that a dog’s body ages, but in their mind, they are always young.  This was the case with Maggie.  She was already to go and hunt with a true fervor, but she paid for it with aches and pains later.  She eventually lost her hearing, probably due to guns going off around her all the time, and now she is totally deaf.  She knows what to do by my body movements but if she takes off after something, there is no calling her back.

These days she sleeps a lot but is always ready to go for a short run/walk/hunt when I go out.  I know she would still try to retrieve a bird, but I can’t risk her health by doing it.  I know her days are numbered but I prefer not to think about it.  For now, she lives in her own world, running like mad when she is asleep.  I would like to think she is dreaming about hunting and all the good times she has had.  She has ridden with me as my number one wife and companion in my truck for thousands of miles, but now she needs to be lifted in.   You will know when she dies but for now, we just have the future to enjoy.  SHE IS A GOOD DOG.

Historic Fall

Photo  by Carol Ann Dyer, "In Dyer Need of Outdoors"

State Lands Trust funding meetings

State trust lands were granted by the United States Congress to states upon entering the Union. These lands were designated to support essential public institutions, primarily public schools. State trust land managers lease and sell these lands to generate revenue for current and future designated beneficiaries.

 With funding from State Lands Trusts, the Rich Middle School will administer a STAR reading test to all students in 6-8th grades.  The tests will be administered at the beginning of the first grading period and the end of each grading period.  The first test will be the baseline and the last test in the spring will be the post test for evaluating the goal.  We will also look at the V-Port (voyager) benchmark reading data as an additional measurement. 

Each student in grades K-5 will be given a fall, winter, and spring benchmark DIBELS assessment.  The baseline data will consist of the Fall benchmark and the  final measurement utilized for growth measurement will be the spring benchmark.  Schools will also give each student in grades 1-5 a STAR reading test at the beginning and end of each marking period.  The baseline data will be comprised of the fall testing results.  These results will be compared with the last STAR test given in the spring to measure growth.

There will be public hearings:

North Rich Elementary Trust Lands Meeting – October 15 – 3:30 – NRE Lab

Rich Middle School Trust Lands Meeting – October 16 – 3:30 – RMS Lab

Public is invited.  Agendas are on the school web pages or available at the school office.

Fall At The Marina

Photo by Carol Ann Dyer, "In Dyer Need of Outdoors"

Garden City Planning Commission

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  October 2, 2019.  A public hearing was held beginning at 5 p.m.  Anyone who was interested in Ordinance #19-20 dealing with Architectural Standards could respond to this issue.  There were no comments.

The second ordinance being discussed was Ordinance #19-21 updating the ordinance dealing with the Planning Commission.  Some comments were made.

The next item was a request to re-zone an area along Kimball Lane.  There was a brief discussion concerning this matter.

There were no more comments, so the motion was made and passed to close the Public Hearing.

The regular Planning Commission Meeting was called to order.  The first item was Ordinance #19-20.  It was suggested that the word commercial be placed before architectural standards.  It was noted that many people work from their homes and perhaps it should remain as written.  After a short discussion, the motion was made and passed to change the word business to commercial everywhere it is noted in the ordinance.

Ordinance #19-21 contains information dealing with the Planning Commission Ordinance.  There were three-word changes suggested   After more discussion, it was decided to have this item brought before the Planning Commission next month.

A discussion was held concerning a re-zone application for property at 38-04-000-0038 along Kimball Lane to be re-zoned from Recreational Estates to Commercial (C2).  The request for this change was made by Alan Arthur and Norm Mecham.

Arthur would like to start building within the next 30 days and was hopeful that the matter could be handled quickly.  It was noted that the property would be split in half with Mecham taking the eastern part of the property.   Arthur would like to build on the western part of the property and wants to build two buildings that would store boats and trailers.  They had rough plans that have been drawn up showing what the two buildings would look like and how much parking was included.  A motion was made and passed to change this property from Recreational Estates to C2 for the western part of the property if the split was completed.

It was also noted that Arthur would like to put some apartments above the smaller of the two suggested buildings.  They are not for nightly rentals—they are apartments for single families who would be workers living there for various periods of time.   They noted that there were 14 parking stalls along Kimball Lane as well as plenty of parking in front of the building.  The Commission asked that they come back next month to see if it were possible to make a change in the ordinance that would allow more than one apartment on the two-story building.  The Commission also asked that they bring more information next month about the buildings that will be built.

The question was asked if the City had distinct definitions for RV Parks, Camping Areas, Over-night Cabins. etc.  The Commission was asked to come next month with definitions showing and differences between RV Parks and Camping Areas.

The motion was made and passed to close the meeting.